Clipped Wings
by Sage-and-Spades
Summary: Robin has been struggling with haunting nightmares of his parents dieing, unexplainable jealousy and hostility toward his best friend's girlfriend, and daily villains trying to do him great harm, physically and mentally. Will Robin hang up his cape when it's all too much? Later chapters Bird/Flash Dick G./Wally W.
1. Chapter 1

Robin watched his friends and fellow wards gather around the dining table, all in full blown hero costumes. They were preparing for the night rounds of servaying their respective cities. The team always tried to have a time to get together and enjoy each other's company outside of work, and this dinner was one of many activities they did throughout the week. Like they really needed more time together, they all spent every moment of their free time on Mount Justice, in each others company, anyway.

The Boy Wonder sat in his usual chair, staring at the food in the middle of the table. He wasn't hungry.. lately he hadn't been. He was scaring Alfred with his lack of appetite. Bruce was less verbal with his uneasiness on the matter, more analytical of the whole ordeal as always. He kept a careful eye on his adopted son and fellow crime fighter.

He wasn't sure why he wasn't hungry... There was a kind of emptiness inside himself. That preoccupied his mind far more. He didn't know what it was he lacked, and that fact alone made him angry. He wasn't completely clueless, however. Robin knew he was unhappy. He felt alone, among the large group of his friends. And worst of all was when he saw two of them off together, holding hands and giggling. He wanted to be happy for them, for M'gann and Superboy... Wally and Artemis...For any of his friends that found happiness amongst one another... but he couldn't. Because he himself lacked that happiness. It made him even more angry and depressed. His best friend Wally was the only one to really notice Robin was off as of late, and he had been avoiding the red headed speedster because of his new relationship with Artemis. It only made Robin feel that much more alone, despite Wally's attempts to make the little bird smile.

Robin wanted his emotions to have palpable meaning and explanations, instead they fogged his mind and brought him down further.

On top of it all, he had been having more frequent nightmares of his parents. He had woken up screaming their names as the image of them crashing to the floor below the broken trapeze rig. The sounds of their bodies making impact with the hard stage haunted him since that day years ago. His startling awakening each night aged his worrying butler further, and Bruce had come to his side the first 12 times. However, after a while Robin just rejected the awkward attempts made by his adopted father.

It all had a tiring effect on the young boy wonder, making him slower than usual, reacting a millisecond later than he should be... And he felt weak for being haunted by something that happened to him years ago. At the same time, he wanted to hold on to the pain, to keep his parents alive in his memory. He he hated himself for it.

It was an endless circle he couldn't find his way out of. He wanted to keep his parents safe guarded in his memory, which would cause him nightmares now and then. But this made him imperfect and a sentimental child. If he took that one step closer toward his perceived perfection, he would lose what little humanity he felt he had left. He figured, what monster would try and forget his parents, only to spare himself a little pain? It had to stay this way. He just had to learn how to cope with less sleep.

Robin shook his head and tried to clear his thoughts. He looked up at his friends, seeing their smiling faces. All unaware of the pain and loneliness the little bird was feeling. Robin looked down to his hands, clasped together in his lap. He didn't know what to do. How could he fix something, when he wasn't sure how it was broken? And he had to do it had been taught to be too self sufficient to rely on any of his friends to fix his problems for him. Or for anyone else, for that matter too.

A hand came down on the middle of Robin's back, between his shoulder blades, startling him enough to make him squeak. "What's wrong, Boy Wonder?" Asked Superboy, all sunshine and rainbows.

Robin stared up at the larger male, silent.

"Aren't you hungry? M'gann made all this food..." His smile started to falter some when Robin's expression only darkened. "What?"

"I'm not hungry... thanks." He said,

"Come on man, you look thinner than usual." Insisted the clone.

He grunted in response, pushing his empty plate until it was an arms length away.

"Man..." Superbly was about to plunge into the things he had learned about the human body and its need for food when Robin cut him off.

"Look, Wally can have my share, how about that?" He glanced around at his friends, a few of them taking notice of his fasting, but keeping to themselves.

He wanted to leave... He didn't want to sit there and listen to their stories... He didn't want to be rude either though. He sat there, staring out through the window at his left, his hands locked together in his lap. 'whats wrong with me..?' He asked himself.

Wally watched his young friend, worry clear on his face. He opened his mouth to blurt out some joke to make him laugh when Artemis slid her hand up Wally's thigh under the table, effectively drawing his attention away from the hurting bird.

-

Two hours later everyone was fed and done chatting. It was finally time to get back to business, fighting crime where ever it reared its ugly head.

Robin was glad to be done with the meal. He had sat silently at the table the full two hours, while the girls gossiped and couples sat impossibly close to one another, whispering something back and forth. The Boy Wonder was glad to be free of the stifling environment and be out in the open air.

He sat at the top of a radio tower over looking Gotham City, his com turned off so the voices of his comrades wouldn't bother his mini hiatus. Robin closed his eyes, the air whipping around him, making his cape flare out. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes again, trying to center himself.

Robin noticed a female walking alone on the city street below, shivering and looking lost. Just then a couple of men took notice in her and started whistling and following the blonde. The Boy Wonder leaped from the tower and landed on the rooftop below. He followed the now running girl from the rooftops, looking for an opening to swoop down and catch the guys chasing her.

Suddenly his com flared to life and Bruce was growling in his ear. "Robin, I need your backup. Come now." He said, clearly in the middle of fighting.

Robin wondered vaguely if he had had Alfred hack his com to relay the message. "I can't, Batman, I'm chasing down some bad guys." He said. He picked up the pace and jumped down in front of the girl, dodged her as she ran, and launched himself at the men, landing on the chest of the first, knocking him over and jumping to the second. "Leave her alone, or I'll rip you a new hole." He threatened.

"I'm on my way." He said to Batman through his com, taking off in the direction Alfred told him Bruce was.

-

If Robin had known earlier that Batman was chasing down the Joker when he called, he could have just sent a smoke bomb down on the perps he was following and left sooner. But he couldn't change that now. All he could do was assist in taking down goons to help his father focus on the homicidal psycho maniac wearing his signature purple suit and white makeup.

"You okay here?" Asked the Dark Knight, watching the laughing Joker dodge around a corner out of sight. He was holding off a rather large goon, and Robin knew he wanted to chase after the Joker, never liking him out if sight.

"I'm fine, go!" Cried the bird, distracted in his own fight. He took down three smaller goons within moments and then launched himself at the one Batman had been on previously. Robin easily jumped out if the way of the giant's slow movements and he even managed to hop onto his back and lock his arms over the man's neck, cutting off his air supply.

While still riding piggyback on the man, Robin looked around to see if there were any more people to fight. "Batman?" He asked his com, waiting for a response. Nothing. "Alfred, what's happened?" He asked, hurrying off in the direction he thought the Joker and Batman would be, once the goon was out cold.

"Seems you've overlooked something, bird-brain." Robin's head snapped around in time to see the knee of a colorfully decorated Harley-Quinn come up to his groin. Robin doubled over and coughed, shielding himself from a second blow to the temple. He was knocked sideways off balance and collided with the floor on his left.

"Mr. J wants Bat-brain to himself, he told me I could play with you while they fought. So long as I keep you from them." Said the female, her voice making Robin's skin crawl.

"What's he planning?"

"Don't worry about them. Worry about me." She said, hints of anger at her dismissal clear in her voice. She tried to kick him swiftly in the ribs, but the boy wonder rolled away and got to his feet shakily. He fought with all his will power not to hold his hurting groin.

"Attention whore much..?"

"Brat! I'll skin you alive..!"

"Robin? Harley-Quinn is not supposed to be there... My computers show she's still in Arkham. Be careful." Chimed Alfred in his ear.

"Always." He grunted back.

"Now who are you talking to, because we severed your connection to Batman twenty minutes ago. Is that a little helper back at your stupid mountain? Who is it?" She insisted

"No, your thinking too broad. You two are too small time for the whole Justice League to care about you."

"Oh your dead..! Mr. J is not small time! Neither am I..!"

"Your temper gets the better of you, Harley." Said the shadows, and Robin instantly knew that his partner had lost his trail of the Joker.

"Eeep! Your not supposed to be here..!" She hurried off, too afraid to fight the Batman alone.

Robin groaned and sat back down on the floor, his head between his legs. "Chick doesn't play fair."

"You let your guard down."

"I'm exhausted, Batman." He hissed

"And why do you think that is?"

Robin shot him a dirty look, though of course he couldn't see it under his mask and glasses. "Leave it alone, don't analyze me here." He said, getting back up and stalking toward the Batmobile.

They were silent on the ride back home, Bruce respecting his son's space. Once they were out of their costumes, he spoke up, however. "Dick... Things haven't gotten better.. have they." He asked, watching the boy carefully.

"No." He said quietly, taking his com out. "I don't want to talk about it." He went straight to his room and curled up under his blankets. Dick didn't know what to do. Nothing seemed to be quite the same anymore.

A knock came on his door and then Alfred's voice came, "Master Richard? May I come in..?"

"I guess."

The beloved butler came into his room and sat on the edge of the bed. "Would you like to talk to me? It can be strictly between the two of us..."

"I don't know if you can help."

"I'd like to try..."

"I can't stop dreaming about mom and dad. I can't.. if I could I would stop waking up with all those nightmares... But its not just that... I... I feel lonesome."

"Oh Master Richard..." he touched the boy's head gently, "Why don't you spend some time with Master Wallace? You always seem to enjoy your video games and whatnot."

"He has a girlfriend. She won't let him do anything." Grunted the teen.

"Oh? That's not quite right of her... You should tell him you want to spend time with him. I'm sure he would find a way."

"I don't want a friends company, Alfred. Just leave me be. I'll be fine."

"... As you wish, young master." He said gently, getting up to leave.

"Wait. Can you get me some ice?" He asked, fidgeting to get into a comfortable position to relieve the pain between his legs.

Alfred nodded and left to get the ice for the boy. leaving him to his thoughts.

'Why does Artemis piss me off so much..? She was my friend... And now I just detest her.' He buried his face into his pillow.


	2. Chapter 2

Dick woke up with the icepack Alfred had given him in his pants, now luke warm. He grunted and pulled the bag of liquid out while testing his tender flesh. "Better.." he said to the darkness. He tossed the pack to the floor and rolled into his side, staring out the tall window opposite him. The moon shone brightly in the sky, hurting his eyes some when he first gazed upon it.

He closed his eyes slowly, repeating the mantra in his head 'I will not have any nightmares tonight. I will not have any nightmares tonight. I will not have any nightmares tonight.'

Dick stood outside the flying Grayson's trailer. His vision was blurred as he stepped into the small vehicle. He looked at everything with new eyes, everything seemed precious. All of his parents things were special... All he had of them now. He crawled into his patent's bed and buried his face into their sheets, smelling the subtle scent of his mother and father.

He cried into the soft fabric, wishing for nothing more than for his parents to hold him again. But they were gone... the medics had dragged him away from the bloody bodies of his mother and father. After that he had run directly to their trailer, wanting some place familiar to protect him.

Someone was pounding on the door to the trailer, and Dick wanted nothing more than to ignore them. Whoever it was could just come back some other time. He kept silent, hoping it would deter whoever it was.

Apparently that was not the case. Within a moment, the stranger was ripping the door off its hinges and tossing it aside. The intruder stepped into the trailer and Dick stared in horror as his one safe haven was disturbed by the man.

Gotham's Dark Knight stared down the cramped hall, through the open doorway and into the bedroom, where Dick sat, paralyzed. "Oh crap." Muttered the Batman.

Dick shrunk away from him, looking around the room frantically for some form of weapon to defend himself with. "Stay away..!" For all he knew, the stranger was there to finish the job and kill him too.

Batman sighed, "I thought the trailer was empty, kid. Are you their son? Are you Richard?"

Dick paused, staring at him wide eyed. "Why are you here?"

"I'm investigating your parents deaths."

"No need. Good people owed some bad people. Couldn't pay... so my parents paid with their lives." He said, his voice cracking. Tears came to his eyes and he started to sob again, curling up into a ball on his side. 'Let him kill me if that's what he's truly here for... I'll be with mom and dad again at least if he does kill me.'

The Dark Knight grimaced and walked over to the hurting boy and touched his hair gently, not knowing how else to soothe Dick. "Richard... You deserve better... Would you like for the person who hurt your parents to pay?" He asked.

Dick looked up at him, searching the masked man for any hints of deception. When he found none he nodded.

"I know your a talented kid. Might do some good to have ya around." He forced a small smile for the boy's benefit, "Ever wanted to fight crime?"

Dick woke up the next morning, the first time in a month, without screaming his voice raw. He smiled a little bit to himself, having dreamed about his first meeting with Batman.

It felt like a miniature victory to Dick. He hadn't had his usual nightmare. It was an accomplishment. However small it may be.

He decided to get up and have breakfast with his bat family, his appetite had improved some, it seemed.

Bruce was sitting at the dinning table, sipping his signature green goop and reading the paper. He looked up when he saw his son, watching him carefully as he sat down. "Morning Dick."

"Morning Bruce."

"You seem... Rested." Dick could hear the hidden message in his father's tone, 'You didn't scream the house awake last night. I assume no nightmares then..?'

"Yep. Rested."

Alfred tried to conceal his smile, also picking up on Bruce's unasked question, and finding Dick's reply amusing. "Pancakes and Bacon, master Richard?"

"Please, Alfred." He rested his chin in the palm of his hand and watched his father. "If you're going to have an aneurism not knowing, just ask properly."

Bruce's eye twitched in slight annoyance. "What changed? All those other nights... But last night, nothing."

"I don't know why I didn't have the same nightmare as before... But you popped up last night. Maybe my subconscious was bored of torturing itself."

"So you had a normal dream last night?"

"Well it was still sad... But it wasn't scarring. So that's improvement I suppose."

Bruce nodded, satisfied for the time being. "Today is your day off... Most of Young justice is off. Are you going to stay here or..?"

"I think I'll try and steal Wally away for a few hours."

Bruce's smile seemed a little more sincere when he heard that and nodded, obviously glad to see his son returning to normal. "Good. You still have curfew." He said sternly.

Dick chuckled lightly, "I know." He said, leaning back when Alfred brought his plate to him.

Soon Robin was back on Mount Justice. Even though most of his friends all knew each others true identities, none of them knew Robin's. Batman's rules. He wore a red and black hoodie and jeans, but kept his shades on, hiding his bright blue eyes.

Most of his friends were in their street clothes as well, minus any eye wear.

Connor was sitting on the living room couch with M'gann who was spooning him and currently making out.

Robin's eye twitched and he continued his search for his freckled friend. Of course he was in the kitchen, raiding the fridge.

"Hey Kid Mouth." Teased Robin, smirking.

"ROB! Heh, wanna drumstick?" Wally held out the cold chicken leg in Robin's face, making the boy cringe away.

"No. Pig, heat it up, sheesh..."

"Nah. Hey, whats been up with you man? You've been weirdly quiet for a while. Everything okay?"

Robin sighed and looked away from his friend, finding a spot on the wall to examine. "Things are fine, Wally. We should hang out more often, ever since you... Got together with Artemis... You haven't been around."

"I know... Hey, wanna play some COD?"

"Sure." He smiled gently and followed his still snacking friend to his room.

They were only a half hour in to their game when Artemis came into the speedester's room, her hands on her hips. "Wally..! Have you forgotten something?"

The two boys looked up at the fuming female. "Uh... No?" Tried Wally.

"We had a date planned."

"That's not until tonight."

Artemis looked at Robin, then back to her boyfriend. "I thought we were going to spend the day together."

Robin looked away, staring at the TV screen.

Wally sighed, "But I haven't spent any time with Robin in a long time..." The speedster looked to Robin then back up to his girlfriend.

"So what? He's been your friend for a while. I'm your girlfriend. Come on, I made plans for us." She grabbed the speedster's wrist and pulled him to his feet.

"Hey, Artemis, I really just wanna hang out with Rob for a little bit-"

"Oh but Wally..." Artemis pouted some and moved her arms in such a way that pushed her breasts together and accentuated her cleavage.

Wally swallowed hard, staring at his girlfriend's breasts. "Rain check, Rob?" He asked, his eyes not straying as he spot to the Boy Wonder.

A wave of nausea ran through the Robin. "Sure. Whatever." He got up and pushed his way past Artemis out of the room. "Controlling bitch." He said under his breath as he left.

Artemis caught it and scowled at her boyfriend, blaming him for his friend's misbehavior.

Robin crossed his arms over his chest and sulked his way to the training room and decided on some acrobatic practice.

Nothing like flying twenty feet above the ground to take your mind off your neglectful friends. Of course, that's all he thought about the whole time. Trying not to think about something, really doesn't make the task easier, to any degree.

He couldn't believe his best friend had really just left him like that. For his girlfriend he had been dating for only a month. They spent every moment together. 'Do they have to be attached at the hip?!' Robin growled to himself and gripped the ring's in his hands tighter. 'Well screw him. And her. Shit. Have they..? No.. they couldn't have...' He remembered how Artemis had pressed her breasts together before, and how Wally had reacted to the sight. Another wave of nausea caught the Boy Wonder off guard and his hands slipped. The air was knocked out of his lungs when he made impact with the padded mast below.

Robin coughed, trying to regain his equilibrium. "Damnit! Damnit damnit damnit..!" He clawed at the mat and got to his feet. He stumbled for a second then hurried out if the room and straight to the zeta beam.

"Hey Robin! Where you going?" Called M'gann, taking notice in the fuming bird.

"Out." He spat.

She was standing in his way within a second, floating off the ground. "Hey, stop. What's wrong?" She asked gently.

He scowled up at her. "Go to your boyfriend and ignore me, like the rest of you." He said, speaking before he thought.

Shock and hurt flashed across her face and she landed on the floor. "Robin? Why are you... We aren't ignoring you... You've been avoiding us..."

"Because all any of you want to do is couple stuff..!"

"That's not completely true,"

"Just let me go, M'gann. I've got work to do."

"But it's everyone's day off."

"Not for me." And at that he left. He took the zeta beam straight to the batcave and quickly changed into his uniform. Within half an hour he was in the heart of Gotham, trying to find anything to do. Anyone to fight.

He searched some areas known to have heavier crime ratios and after a few, one thing caught his attention. A thug wearing a clown mask. Robin followed the man a ways and discovered a larger group of similarly dressed characters. He crouched silently on the fire escape overlooking the group of masked men, listening as best he could to the garbled conversations.

The Boy Wonder went to press his com on at his ear to call in Batman, and froze. In his anger he had forgotten to grab it. "Shit..." he whispered. He reached for his utility belt when the group roared to life, one of them having spotted Robin.

"Hey! That's that Bat's sidekick..! Robin, snag him..!"

"Double shit." He climbed further up the fire escape and made it to the roof only to discover a couple more masked men walking about in a pattern that brought to mind security guards rounds. They heard the roar from the other clowns below and noticed Robin. They quickly registered what was going on and started after him.

"Hey!" Robin made a break for it, sprinting away from them. He was positive the masked men were associates of the Joker... and though he was a great fighter, he wasn't a brute force like Batman was. He couldn't take a hit the same, and he hadn't ever tried to fight such a crowd alone before. Now was definitely not the time to test his skills.

As he made his way across the uneven leveled roof he noticed the door leading there from inside the building open and produce multiple more clowns.

Before he could reach his utility belt for any kind of cellular device or alarm, he was knocked onto the ground harshly, his skull bouncing off the cement. And the world went black.

Young Justice belongs to DC. I do not own any characters from Young Justice, the comic or TV show.


	3. Chapter 3

The first thing Dick was aware of was the throbbing pain in his head. He groaned and tried to reach his hand up to touch his temple. That was when he realized he was restrained. His wrists bound behind his back.

'I know I'm laying on a mattress...' He moved his face to one side and felt his mask and shades press to his face more and he knew he was in uniform.

The events leading to his injury slowly came back to him. He was mad at Artemis and Wally. He had fought with M'gann. He had gone on patrol on his own.. without his com. He had found some of the Joker's thugs and followed them... he was running. And they had caught him.

He groaned and looked around, squinting in the darkness. He couldn't make anything out. Robin heard a metal door clink and open, when he looked over his shoulder he saw Harley-Quinn strolling into his cell.

"Well hello again to you, Robin..! You gave us quite the little shock, showing up where you did. But without backup? Did you plan on handing yourself over or something? Your such a moron. Well, anyway. We got ya, kiddie, and now it's time for some games." She smirked.

The door slammed shut behind her and the only light source for the room was cut off.

"What are you going to do?" He asked, his mouth dry.

"Oh you'll see. Well, you won't see it. Not 'til later. You can't see in this dark, I'm sure. But I can. I got night vision goggles sweetie, so we can have a little fun. But just a little tonight."

That's when he felt the cold of a blade pressed to his cheek. "You know, I asked Mr. J if I could carve out your eyes... But he said no. Dunno why, but what he says, goes.."

"Are you going to kill me?" His voice was shaking, and in the darkness it was only more evident. He hated being so vulnerable... He wished he could sound stronger, sound indifferent, confidant he would be okay. But it couldn't come out that way.

"Not yet. Most likely though. Mr. J wants to get the Bat's attention. And you're the show." She grabbed a fist full if his hair and pulled his head back. "What a skin. Maybe I'll see if I can give you a smile though."

An intercom beeped and the Joker's voice flooded the cell. "No no no no! He has to be identifiable..! No touching his face. Don't carve out his eyes, Harley..! Stick to the script..!"

"Fine fine!" She snapped back. "No fun. At least I get to do something I suppose. It's not every day we catch the Boy Wonder." She slid the blade along Robin's side, not cutting, but making the boy's breathing more erratic. "Shhhh, is the little birdie gonna cry? Tch."

Just a second later the blade was sticking out of Robin's side. He screamed out in pain, his body writing on the mattress. He knew Harley had been feeling along his side for essential organs and bones and had picked a spot that wouldn't kill him.

"A souvenir. Heh. Enjoy." And Harley pulled the blade back out and left the room.

"That all you got..?" It tumbled out of Robin's mouth before he could stop himself. 'Damn.. if only I could have sounded so strong before.'

Harley turned, and stomped back to him, "You want me to castrate you boy?!"

Just as her fingers were past the waistband to the pants of his uniform, she was being dragged out of the room by two large, clown masked men.

"Whoa, I'd say we have a fighter..! I do so look forward to the show, dear Robin. And so should you." The Joker's voice cut off after a click, and Robin was left in pain and darkness. Not knowing when he would die.

Sure Batman could try and track him down. But without help from the com, and he knew the tracker in his utility belt would be found and destroyed by now.

What could he possibly do?

What felt like years passed of similar treatment Robin had gotten from Harley-Quinn. No more stabs, but quite a few hard punches and kicks. Never to his face, however.

After Dick had broken curfew the first night Bruce was on instant red alert. His son had been missing for two full days now and going on a third. He was panicking beyond any other time he could remember.

He had gone over surveillance at Mount Justice, the batcave, and in parts of Gotham. But he couldn't pinpoint his missing companion.

The Dark Knight was currently out, trying to pick up any hints of Robin's presence in the last place he could follow in the surveillance footage.

"We have to find him, Alfred. Now." He said angrily to his com.

Robin was on his right side, his face in the mattress when the door of his cell opened again. He looked up to the large man and grunted. The snide comments had been beaten from him a day and a half since his abduction.

"Gotta prep ya, kid."

"For what?"

"Can't tell ya." Then his ears picked up on the sound of a charging, and he knew the larger man had a taser. He tried to move away quickly, but collapsed to the floor, pain from his wounds keeping him horizontal.

Before he could cry out from the pain of the electricity coercing through his body he was out cold again.

M'gann was watching a movie with Superboy on TV when the screen cut out with static, then the image of the Joker took over.

"What on... Isn't that a Gotham villain?" She thought aloud.

"Hello ladies and gentlemen! Joker here, broadcasting live throughout the US and quite a few other countries... I'm here tonight, hacking your regularly scheduled programs to give you all a new kind of show. This broadcast cannot be stopped, and will last however long I see fit. Kiddies should look away, but I personally wouldn't miss a minute of the action! This is a message to the Batman. And for everyone else... I have for you the fall of one of your beloved heroes."

As the Joker's message played, the entirety of the Young Justice heroes gathered, confused and interested.

Then the screen changed from the image of the Joker, to one of Robin, strapped onto a table in the middle of a room filled with lights and video cameras.

"That's Robin..!" Cried M'gann. The room went quiet, staring at the screen in horror and disbelief.

Robin had regained consciousness a few minutes before the Joker's message rang throughout America, and through the internet, spread throughout the globe. His eyes stung from the bright lights, and the darkness for the past few days didn't help him adjust fast either.

A separate message was played for Robin. "Hello Robin. So kind of you to join us. The show is about to begin. So let me just give you a little heads up. What you see around you, are 32 separate cameras, all directed on you in different angles. You are bound to a table, I'm sure you could deduce..." The Joker laughed and Robin struggled in place, his arms now at the top two corners of the table, tired securely down. The table was smaller than his height, however and his legs hooked around the edge and were tied together on the underside of the table.

"Don't bother trying to break out of the restraints. Their reinforced, besides... You and I both know that out of you and Batman, your not the strong one. Your the flexible and quick one, and we already caught and tied ya down. Don't worry about your mask. The purpose of all this isn't to figure out who you are. This is a test for the Batman. Anyway...enough talk! You are about to go live around the world in about... Three...two...one! Show time!"

The red lights on the cameras lit and Robin swallowed hard, looking around at the devices. His chest was rising and falling rapidly. He was thankful that his uniform was intact...

A man walked up to him, coming from outside of the circle of cameras and lights. "Are you the real Robin?" Asked the man.

"... Yes." He knew about a few imposter Robins and Batmans going about, trying to copy their work. He was flattered that he had inspired people to take a stand and do what was right, but he didn't like that a lot of them weren't skilled enough for the jobs they tried to pull, and many ended up getting hurt or killed.

"Mhm. I know. I just want everyone else to know you are too. Tell everyone what happened. How did you get here?"

"... I was stupid. I went on patrol alone and came across a bunch of thugs like you-"

"And we caught ya. The elusive Boy Wonder. Out done by a couple thugs." The man laughed at him.

"More like 50." He grunted back.

"Shut up, boy." The man punched him in the side, where some nasty bruises had already formed.

Robin cried out and tugged against his restraints, wanting to hold his side. This was it. Robin knew he was going to die here. In front of everyone. In front of the whole world.

"Shall I show everyone what you've sustained?" Within moments the man was using a pocket knife to cut away at his Robin uniform. First went his top. His skin had always been gently sun kissed, but was now covered in cuts and purple bruises. The stab wound in his side was visible, having been sewn shut the day before.

"Well lookie here, you can take quite a beating, can't ya?" The man moved lower and sliced the waistband of his pants. He then ripped the fabric the rest of the way. Similar bruises patched his legs, but fewer cuts.

Robin was mortified to be on live TV in only his black briefs. He tried to push the thought out of his mind, trying Not to care. He was about to die, after all, what's it matter what he looked like?

"Your so small and thin. Have you even gone through puberty yet?" Asked the man, something hidden in the tone of his voice. "Did Harley castrate you like she wanted?" And before he could snap back at the man, his underwear was gone.

Robin's cheeks burnt scarlet and he fidgeted, hating the man beyond belief at that moment.

"Ah, well there they are! You do have a pair. But Christ, your hairless. Do you groom yourself, or have you just not developed any pubic hair?"

"Screw you." Snapped Robin, his teeth grit together.

"Ah ah ah, watch yourself. Your in no position." Said the man, bringing his small blade to the base of the boy's neck. "Now, I have my directions. I do. And I'd like to follow. But I wouldn't mind slitting your throat right now either."

He just scowled back at the man, though he was sure he couldn't tell, with his mask.

"Better." He moved the blade down Robin's body, from under his right nipple down to his right hip. "Are you a virgin, Robin?"

That's when it clicked in his mind. "Bastard..! Get away from me!" He struggled, trying to get out of his restraints. "Don't touch me!"

And the man's hands were on him. Pinching his nipples, stroking his shaft, trying to make him hard. Robin struggled, trying to get away from the touches. He whined, unable to move much in any direction. "That's it. Give in to me."

He started shaking, feeling himself hardening in the man's hands. He hated himself for this. He didn't want any of it.. and this man was making him this way. Forcing it on him. "S-stop it... Pervert!"

Suddenly the hands were gone and Robin was left laying there. Panting. His cock standing straight up on it's own.

"How shameful." Chuckled the man, watching Robin.

"Fuck you..!"

"Not quite right, but your getting closer." The man came back and probed Robin's ass lightly, pressing a finger against him, making the boy gasp out. "Hm, gonna need some lube." Seconds later the hands were back, coated in a slick liquid. "Gotta move a little fast... By now he'll be trying to hack Joker's system."

"Stop this...!" Robin's voice shook and he panted angrily.

"Your body wants it. See? Your still hard as a rock." The man slipped in a finger, making the boy gasp out.

As soon as the Joker's message had begun on TV, Bruce had been trying to track and stop it. He had a feeling the psychopath had something to do with Dick's disappearance. And once the boy lit up the screen it was confirmed. He called Alfred in to find the location of the Boy Wonder while Bruce got into his gear.

"We have to stop him, Alfred." His eyes widened when his son was stripped on live TV and instantly set out to hack the program and stop the images more forcefully. Right when it was clear what the man's intentions were with Robin, starting to finger the boy, Bruce gained control and severed the broadcast.

"ALFRED. NOW." snapped the bat, climbing into the batmobil.

Robin's friends watched in horror right up until the point where the screen cut out again.

Wally felt nausea overwhelm him and he ran from the room. His best friend... his best friend was being taken advantage of this very moment. And he couldn't do anything to save him. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he leaned over the toilet, ready if he had to throw up. "Rob..."

Some of the Boy Wonder's friends had turned away from the screen, unable to watch while the broadcast was still going.

M'gann had broken down crying unto Superboy's chest. Others were silent, not knowing what to say to one another. A darkness filled the air about the room.

Tears of frustration and pain rolled from under his mask and down Robin's cheeks as his body was taken from him. The man hadn't wasted any time and barely gave him enough preparation before he moved onward.

Everything ached. Robin couldn't stop the shrill screams that escaped his small form. His whole body was shaking, and the burning between his legs didn't stop with time.

He felt like he was dieing, his whole world shattered. This was the worst way to go, he thought.

Half way through the larger man's second round the doors to the room crashed open and a very angry Batman launched himself at the man still abusing Robin.

Robin cried out as the fast withdrawal from his body and he fell limp against the table. The next thing he knew, he was being wrapped in Batman's cape, his limbs free but stiff and was being carried away in strong, protective arms. He knew these arms. They had always protected him... Ever since he was 9 years old.

"Father..." His voice was raw and quiet from his screams, but Robin's voice was still audible.

"Shhh, sh. I have you.. everything is going to be fine. Don't speak. I'll protect you. Always."


	4. Chapter 4

Robin looked up to Batman, feeling his father hugging him protectively in his arms. He was carried as far as his father could take him while masked men came at them. Robin couldn't keep his eyes open long enough to make out what was going on. Everything was a blur, and after a while, how long he had no idea, he was laying in the back seat of the batmobile. He vaguely noted watching his father in the driver's seat, his gloved hands bloody and the man cursing under his breath as he drove.

Dick woke up in his bedroom, tucked in snug under the covers with his arms resting on top, free to move. He noticed the IV hooked into his left arm and a beeping off to the side of his bed. He raised his right hand to his temple, feeling the sticky sensors latched onto his skin. His head was pounding and he groaned as looked around his dark room.

It was empty of any other person besides himself. Other than the new medical equipment, it was as he had left it.

"Alfred..? Bruce?" He croaked, his voice extremely raw, his throat hurting. He started to panic, sitting up further and wincing at the pain that resulted from his lower regions.

Tears came to his eyes as what happened to him came flooding back. He started crying into the empty room, covering his eyes with his palms.

Alfred carefully crept into the room. He didn't want to trigger anything in Dick by touching him, so he spoke gently. "Master Richard? Would you like anything? Perhaps some hot chocolate? Anything, name it." He said, his heart aching for the boy.

"Alfred.." The boy threw his arms around the butler, crying into his chest.

"Oh Dick.." He hugged him carefully, rubbing a circle on his back to soothe the boy's crying.

"Alfred I was weak.. I was so stupid... I..."

"Oh no! You did the best you could, you were outnumbered and... it wasn't anything you did.. your an amazing young man. And don't you doubt yourself for one moment."

"Alfred..."

"Would you like to see Bruce?" After a moment Dick nodded slowly. "Good. He's been waiting anxiously for you to wake... he blames himself, you should know. If your want or need anything, just ask. Your cell phone is right next to you. Call for anything."

Dick watched as Alfred left and moments later was replaced by Bruce at his side.

"Hey.." He said gently, looking to his son. Dick could see his temple flex, his jaw clenched.

"You always seem to save me." Dick smiled sadly.

"I always put you in harms way, Dick.. The Joker... He... He does bad things like this to people all the time... But... This time... It struck far closer to home than anything else... He wanted to get a reaction out of me... I'm so sorry.."

"Bruce... It wasn't you... I got myself caught..."

The larger man went quiet, watching his son silently for a while before changing the subject some. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly? Awful."

"I know... I shouldn't assume anything... I just... I want you happy again, Dick... I could tell you were unhappy before... and now... I'm scared things will become unbearable for you... always talk to me... okay? I'm... I'm your father... I love you Dick."

The teen's heart gave a gentle squeeze and he reached out and hugged into Bruce, "I love you too." He didn't want to make any promises about being some happy little kid. Things were different now. He was different. Tainted. Hurt. Humiliated. Then it struck him, his eyes widening, worrying Bruce.

"Dick?"

"How much..."

"What?"

"How much did the world see..."

Bruce grimaced and looked down, "I hacked the broadcast... So not everything. But.. I couldn't manage it... until after he... Don't make me say it." Bruce seemed to pale some, uncomfortable with giving details of what had transpired.

"... Fine. I don't care... I can't be Robin ever again."

"You're upset, I understand..."

"I mean it Bruce..! Do you think anyone will ever take me seriously after this?!" Tears obscured his view and he clenched his hands into fists.

"Dick... Don't make any rash decisions just yet, alright? Just focus on healing. I'll let you get your rest. Call if you need anything."

After Bruce left, Dick got up from his bed, yanked off the sensors on his head and brought the IV with him as he made his way to his desk and computer. He slowly typed in the search engine "Robin Boy Wounder raped on live TV". He clicked on the first link and watched the video, a hand over his mouth to hold back his sobs, his eyes wide as he watched himself on screen.

Dick forced himself to finish the entirety of the video then turned his computer off. His whole world had shattered. Everyone had seen this.. Bruce, Alfred, his friends... his enemies.

Wally had plagued Robin's phone with texts and calls since he had regained himself. He was so worried for his best friend.

He had decided to try calling one last time that night before going to bed. To his surprise, it didn't to straight to voice mail. "Rob?"

"Stop calling me." A small voice responded.

"Robin, how are you? Please, I've been worried.."

"Don't bother. Go hang out with Artemis." The Boy Wonder couldn't hold back the venom in his voice.

"I don't want to. I want to see you."

"I don't want pity, Wally... Seriously, I'm fine."

"It's not pity, Rob. I really miss you. We could play some video games, talk or train-"

"I'm not Robin anymore."

Wally was quiet for a moment, not fully comprehending what had just been said by his best friend. He repeated what Dick had said a couple times in his head before responding. "What do you mean? You can't not be Robin, its part of who you are."

"Wally, you go through what I have, and you might have an idea why I've made this decision. I'm. Quitting." And with that the phone cut off, telling Wally that his friend had hung up on him.

The speedster stared at his cell, his mind racing. He had to see his friend. He had to talk him out of quitting. He was Robin! He couldn't give that up.

Dick curled up on his side laying in bed, his arms wrapped around his legs, his face hidden against his knees. He wanted to feel small. He wanted to disappear. With everything that had happened the past few days, he felt too exposed. Every time Bruce went out as the Batman he was swarmed by media, everyone asking questions about Robin. How was he? Was he saved in time? How long had he been missing? What had happened to the man that had done it? And so on.

That last question haunted Dick. Bruce refused to tell him the answer. He couldn't take it much longer, his nightmares of his parents dieing were replaced with the ones of the man looming over him as he was strapped down on that damned table, night after night abused. He woke up with his voice raw from crying and screaming through the nightmares. Dick had to know that that man would never find him again, never hurt him again, or anyone else for that matter.

Dick felt a sickness come over himself and grabbed the waste basket at the side of his bed and emptied his stomach into it. he felt so helpless and weak. He started to hate himself. Whenever he looked in the mirror, all he saw were flaws and his weaknesses. His once bright blue eyes had dulled and were now haunted. His skin had paled and his cheekbones seemed more pronounced with his wait loss. When he looked in the mirror, he saw a weak, helpless, vulnerable, used boy. He couldn't bring himself to look over the rest of his body from the neck down. He knew he had a scar from the stab wound inflicted by Harley-Quin. quick glances told him his smaller cuts and bruises were fading, but he couldn't bring himself to care much.

Dick had refused most everything Alfred had made him to eat, only accepting two smoothies a day, laced with nutrients his body desperately needed. Dick wasn't about to kill himself from starvation, but he wasn't going to eat either.

He wondered vaguely what people were saying about him. About Robin. Did people think he was weak? Did they pity him? Surely they must. It made him more sick to think about how many people had seen him like that. He knew he couldn't ever be Robin again.

It scared him though too, even thinking about hanging up his cape. It had been his life for years, protecting the innocent and fighting evil. Was it too selfish of him to give up? It was impossible not to, though.

Without realizing it, Dick had drifted off to sleep. Within minutes he was reliving his rape. Crushing pain ripped through him and he screamed out for help, for some kind of escape from the constant torture. It went on like that for days, weeks. A month. Two. No sightings of Robin anywhere. Bruce was trying to let him take his time and heal, but he worried for his son greatly. He didn't know how to help Dick, but he was willing to try anything. Especially if it would get Dick out of his room.

Wally was doing everything he could think of to get to his best friend. He had asked for his Uncle's help to talk to Batman about letting him come over and talk to Robin, but that wouldn't do. Robin wouldn't leave his room, Wally was told. And going to his house was out of the question, secret identity rules dictated against it. Wally continued to call Robin's cell every day, but not non stop like the first few days. He would text, email, search for him on gaming sites, nothing. He wasn't a detective like anyone in the bat family either, so he couldn't track him.

Artemis was increasingly angered by Wally's obsession with Robin. She was understanding the first few weeks, but then she started to feel neglected, and pushed the speedster for more attention.

The stress on the relationship resulted in with Artemis breaking up with him and moving on. Wally was hurt the first day, but went back to searching for his best friend soon after.

It took Dick three full months before he left the manor. It had taken him one full month to leave his room, and slowly he worked his way back out into the world. All as Richard Grayson, however. He refused to go alone into Gotham, fear of being taken again kept him from venturing out alone even after so many months. Alfred accompanied him when he went out, and even then Dick brought with him mace, a cell phone, a back up GPS tracker, and a few smoke bombs.

Even with all his precautions, Alfred felt that Dick was making good progress, considering the circumstances. He was happy to accompany the boy, to support and protect him from his fears.

They were currently on the walking path that ran through one of the major parks of Gotham. The trees were just turning from green to a golden yellow, and some others were red already.

Dick had always loved the colors of autumn and the cooling of the environment.

But now, with his most recent trauma, he couldn't feel the previously comforting effect of the new season.

Dick looked around, seeing all the kids chasing each other, playing some game he was unfamiliar with.  
"Alfred? Do you think... I could have ever had a normal life? My parents... They died when I was 9... I never really had a childhood.. before, I would play with other kids when we were settled into a town, but I couldn't ever make an attachment, because I always had to leave within a couple weeks. Then Bruce... he found me.. and I became who I am now... If he hadn't found me, do you think I would have grown up a normal kid?"

Alfred looked sideways at Dick, thinking for a moment. "Do you regret this path, master Dick?"

He shrugged, "I don't know. I feel like I have to go through more than most... I love Bruce, and I love you, Alfred. But this path..."

"Dick, you do not have to follow in Bruce's footsteps. You are a different person. You have your own path. Master Bruce never meant to force you down his. He saw a child, hurting and alone like he once was, and wanted to protect you."

Dick smiled sadly, "I know... He did a great thing for me. He saved me... He always saves me. I just wonder if he doesn't ever save me early enough."

"He does the best he can-"

"Oh I'm not blaming him, Alfred! I just feel like... this isn't the best thing for me. To be a hero... I can't do this."

Alfred grimaced, staring at the ground as they walked, pondering what Dick had said. He had always told Bruce that Dick was too young to do what he did. What the Batman did. He was happy to be there for his boys, to stitch them up if they needed, to care for them. But he also couldn't help but feel that if they both hung up their cowls, they could be safer. They could live normal happy lives. His fears had come true, Dick was haunted by his life as a hero. Seeing the world through the eyes of a tortured soul and one aged past normal by any definition. Was Dick's innocence and happiness to be crushed into helpless, mangled things, for the greater good? Even when there were countless other heroes to help? Could one less hero really make that much of a difference? Then there was the message Robin's retirement would send to all of the heroes and villains alike. A hero could be crushed like any other person, given the right kind of pressure. And this was a major example of that. But could anyone really question the boy's decision to quit? The beauty of none of the other heroes knowing Dick Grayson was Robin the Boy Wonder, was that if he did quit, he could be a normal teenager when all was done. Well, as normal as possible for Dick.

"Master Richard I-" Alfred looked up to see Dick staring at some younger boys, four, three circled around the smallest, playing keep-away with some toy. Dick looked closer, making out the red, yellow and green figure. Within moments Dick was running at the small group. The smallest boy's face was tear stained and he kept hiccuping from his earlier fit of crying. The boy kept jumping up and trying to reach the toy as it whizzed over head from boy to boy.

"Stop it! Give Robin back to me!"

"Cry baby! Get a real hero figure..! How lame are you, seriously?! Didn't you see that broadcast on TV? Robin's a joke!" Spat one of the three older boys.

"Not true! Robin is the best..! He can do twice as much as any of the other teen heroes!"

"Hardly! He doesn't have any superpowers!"

The small boy stopped reaching for the toy and stared down the one who had said the last remark. "That's what makes him the best! He doesn't have a superpower to help him...He's an ordinary human, but he's a hero! He's courageous..! You think you could do better than Robin?!"

Dick stood, listening to the argument, his mind racing. This kid, out of all the heroes in the world, favored Robin. He saw that Robin had to work twice as hard as any of the other heroes, and was twice as skilled for it too. Listening to the boy, Dick felt a sickness run through him for his thoughts on quitting. Sure things were fucking rough, and he was hurt and scared as hell, but he was a hero. He had to work through the pain and get stronger, so he could be there to make the world a better place, to set an example, to send the Joker a message of his own. That he wouldn't be some puppet in his plans. Anger surged through him at the thought of the Joker, along with fear and nausea. Dick grit his teeth together and snatched the Robin figure from one of the harassers and handed it to the boy. "You should listen to the kid. I have a feeling that Robin is coming back."


	5. Chapter 5

Wally had made his way to Gotham a short while earlier. He didn't know if he would see his best friend, he didn't even know what he looked like without his mask, but he felt he had to do something.

He had been walking around the park for over an hour when he saw a group of 5 kids. The oldest seemed to be lecturing the younger boys. Wally kept walking in the trail and passed a well dressed elderly man when he heard a familiar voice.

That was Robin. He was nearly certain. That voice was so familiar, it had to be. Wally turned to watch the boys again. This time he took in more details about the eldest. Slight frame, black hair, short -though taller than the other 4. Wally guessed he was somewhere between 13 and 15 years old.

Wally took a step closer to the group and stopped himself when he heard Dick's comment. "... Robin is coming back."

He was almost certain the boy was his best friend. Wally quickly turned away, his heart racing. He didn't want to see Robin without his mask until his friend actually showed him, himself. Luckily the boy had had his back to Wally when he was speaking to the others.

Wally smiled lightly and hurried off before Robin took notice in him.

Alfred smiled to himself, having been aware of Wally the whole time. He watched for a moment as the red head retreated then turned back to Dick, who was now walking up to him. "Master Richard."

"Alfred-"

"I heard. So Robin is coming back, is he?"

"Something along those lines."

Alfred couldn't help but smile as he noticed the determination in Dick's eyes. He was happy that the boy had settled on a decision, now he just wasn't sure if he was happy or worried for the boy.

"Let's go home, Alfred. I have work to do."

Alter nodded, smiling gently, "Of course. Is there anything I can do for you?" He asked.

Dick glanced up at Alfred as they started back to the Wayne Manor. "I'll let you know. I'm still thinking." He said quietly, his mind already weeks ahead of them in planning.

Bruce had refused to tell his adopted son many things about that one night months ago. Eventually the boy stopped asking, but he knew Dick still wanted answers. Telling Dick would make him have to think about how he had acted. How he had nearly broken his one and only rule. He would have to relive the worst night since he had seen the boy's parents die, and his own parents dying before that. This made the top three of worst nights.

He had failed Dick for one, and in doing so, could not protect him from the abuse he was subjected to. Bruce couldn't stop the broadcast until it was too late either, which resulted in the while world seeing the boy at his most vulnerable and tortured. Then when he found his son, his anger took over.

He scowled as he thought of what he was trying so hard to dismiss. He had gotten Dick to a safe location, then went after the man who had raped him. As the Batman he beat the man to a bloody pulp. He was sure the man couldn't have children in the future as well. Bruce had almost killed the man. But he regained enough of his humanity to stop and fight his way to the batmobil where his son was waiting, unconscious and bleeding.

With all that had happened to Dick, he couldn't blame him for wanting to quit. But at the same time, he knew how ingrained the Robin persona was in his son. It was a painful combination. Humiliation as Robin and most definitely ridicule, or if Dick quit, he would have a scarring past he was sure never to overcome completely and to top it off he would have to give up on Robin and allow it to die.

Bruce couldn't take the pain away for Dick, no matter how hard he wished he could. And he couldn't make the decision for Dick in what to do with his future either. The upset billionaire growled and stood from his chair and headed out of his office at Wayne HQ. He ignored the media that tended to follow him around outside of the private properties. A wave of disgust always arose in Bruce when he thought of how much publicity the Joker incident received and how persistent the media was when fishing for info on Robin while he was in his Batman gear. He couldn't blame the kid for not even making a public statement.

Bruce drove home to the Wayne Manor in record time was greeted at the driver's door by Alfred.

"Aren't you anxious about something." He noted, eyeing the butler. "How is our boy?" He asked a little more gently.

"He's decided."

"... And..?"

"See for yourself." Bruce couldn't depict anything from Alfred's expression, seemed the butler was conflicted as well about Dick and his decision. His jaw clenched and he headed put of the garage. "Where is he?" He asked.

"Training room." Replied Alfred promptly.

Bruce walked a little faster than necessary and stopped outside of the open doors, staring in. Watching as Dick held himself upside down, his arms trembling with effort as he held them straight parallel with the ground. The boy stared at the mats below, sweat beading on his face.

Bruce didn't want to startle the boy, and so he moved unto the shadows of the training room. He was sure the boy would pick up on him, however. Eventually.

Dick slowly moved right side up again and raised his legs, holding them 90 degrees from his chest. He held this position for what felt like hours to Bruce. Only then did Dick pick up on the silent surveillance.

"You gonna watch me a day?" He asked, his voice strained from effort put into his position.

"Your training...?" Bruce stepped into clear view for the boy.

"I've decided not to give up. But I'm not coming back for a while. Don't tell any of the annoying reporters anything though."

Bruce chuckled, "I never do."

"Good, because they'll be all over me after this." Dick let go of the rings and landed with a grunt on the mats below. "I have a few ideas..."

"Oh?"

Wally stared at the ceiling above him, noting the small cracks in the white stucco. He was anxious as hell, he heard Robin talking to those kids and he knew that his best friend was coming back. He couldn't believe his luck, coming across Robin. He was starting to regret having not tried to eye the boy while he was out of costume. He hadn't been able to discover anything new from staring at his back. Then again he wanted Robin to tell him who he was on his own. It would be a sign of complete trust and faith in him.

Before long Wally had drifted off to sleep, his thoughts of his friend before drifting off made the boy a star in the speedster's dreams. He dreamed about fighting crime together, playing video games and eating pizza together. He felt a draw towards the smaller male he could not explain, and before he knew it, Dream Robin was kissing him. Moving into his lap and pressing against the speedster.

Wally responded eagerly, kissing back and wrapping one arm around Robin's waist, his other hand flat against his back, pulling Robin flat against his chest. "Robin..." He moaned.

"Wally..." Robin sung back, rotating his hips down, moving himself against Wally's crotch. The speedster groaned louder, pushing up against Robin's movements.

"Please, Robin.. I.. I need you."

Robin smiled lightly, pressing his hard on against Wally's stomach, "I need you too."

Wally gripped Robin's hips firmly, "No, that's not what I mean. I love you Robin... I always have."

Robin sat there a moment, silent. With his mask, Wally couldn't tell what was going on in the smaller boy's mind. Then he saw the tears rolling from under the black material.

"R-Robin?!"

"I love you too Wally..."

Wally woke up the next morning, having forgotten everything he had dreamed about. He knew that Robin had been there, but for the life of him he couldn't remember what had transpired.

Bruce tapped his foot anxiously, watching Alfred working on Dick's meal. "What's he told you Alfred?" He burst, unable to stay silent any longer. The boy had been just as quiet as ever, not telling his adopted father what he was planning or doing. He rarely left the house, and even then he only used two rooms in the entire mansion - his bedroom, and the training room.

Alfred let out a sigh, "Master Bruce, it is not my place..."

"But he has spoken to you? Come on Alfred..." Bruce was sure that if Dick wasn't talking to him, he was talking to Alfred.

"My lips are sealed. He asked for my digression, and he shall receive it."

Bruce grunted, leaning back. "I don't see why he won't speak to me."

"He's not excluding you intentionally, he wants to surprise you. He wants to redeem himself in everyone's eyes. Including yours."

"But I could help him..."

"And I'm sure one of these days he will ask for your guidance again, but for now, leave him be." The butler added a little sprinkle of milk chocolate shavings to the whip cream floating on top of hot chocolate. Alfred had always been an amazing chef, making gourmet food for his two boys. Dick's favorite drink was hot chocolate - it reminded him of happier and simpler times with his mother, who would make it for him on cold winter mornings. Although the boy would never say it to Alfred, the memory of his mother's hot chocolate always seemed better than the butler's, despite distinctly remembering her's being made with dull cocoa powder and cloudy water. Though Alfred's hot chocolate was great, he had always thought that, and with time he started to favor the butler's over the dimming memory.

Alfred smiled up to Bruce as he took up the tray with Dick's warm beverage and tomato soup with grilled cheese sandwiches. He strode to the training room, knowing the boy's new routine well enough to know he was still on his midday exercising round in the training room. He knocked firmly before opening the door and stepping in, "Master Richard, I have your food. And i must say I am glad to see your appetite has returned."

Dick continued his up-side-down curl ups, letting out a grunt that Alfred knew, from experience with Bruce, meant he had a response but needed a second to finish his rep. The boy paused, hanging up-side-down, looking at Alfred and then dropped, flipping so he landed on his feet with a flourish. "I figured I needed nutrients to build back my muscles." He said, striking his thighs with his fists to get the blood circulating again faster.

"Yes, I suppose so. You did not lose too much..."

"20 pounds is a lot Alfred. 20. Like I wasn't already a stick." He grumbled self-consciously, picking up a grilled cheese sandwich and dunking it in the tomato soup. "... Thank You Alfred."

Alfred nodded, "Of course." He smiled gently, "Well I'll let you get back to your training... Just remember that your body does need some rest too..."

Dick waved his hand, "Yea yea I got it." He said, his mouth full of food.

Alfred cringed at the lack of manners but said nothing. The boy had his moments, and when he was in the training room he didn't bother with social conventions like swallowing before speaking or sitting at a table to eat.

When Alfred got back to the kitchen Bruce was gone. He let out a soft sigh and went to look for the Bat. It only took him six minutes to find him in the bat cave, focusing on one of the multiple monitors around his desk. He walked silently up behind Bruce, though he knew the man could sense him approach.

"Who is the young man you are watching?" Hints of apprehension in Alfred's voice.

Bruce kept on staring at the screen, typing a few things into a neighboring monitor before answering Alfred's question. "He's a troubled kid at one of the orphanages I support..."

"Ah. And... why has he caught the Bat's eye?"

"He's causing a fuss in the boys home... He reminds me of-" Bruce stopped himself, thinking on some memory for a moment. "He intrigue me."

Alfred noticed it then, the same glint in Bruce's eye when he has an idea that he isn't sure is something he should or shouldn't act on. Unfortunately, Alfred could tell Bruce was leaning toward the 'should'. "What have you schemed up?"

"I... you cannot tell Dick."

"You have my word, Master Bruce."

"I'm thinking of taking him in. The boy... Maybe he would like a change of scenery."

Alfred's stomach sank into his feet, "You don't just mean the mansion I'm sure..."

"He's like I was, Alfred... like what Dick would have been like if I hadn't adopted him when I did."

"You cannot be sure of the latter statement, Bruce."

"You can't be sure I'm wrong either."

"Bruce, there is no telling what this child would be like. Just because Master Richard turned out rather well considering, does not mean the life as your ward is right for every orphaned boy." Snapped Alfred.

Bruce stared, slightly wide eyed at his butler. "You're right, Alfred. I know,,, I don't expect him to be like Dick... But I just get this feel from him... like he has potential. And it's wasted there in that orphanage."

Alfred regained his composure and nodded slightly, "If you believe so..."

"I'm not replacing him, Alfred."

"It seems like you are, sir. And if it feels like you are to me, then think of how Master Richard will feel when you tell him, or finds out himself, that you have picked out his replacement."

"I just said I'm not replacing him..!"

Alfred gestured toward the monitor, "You've settled on another Robin haven't you..?" Anger rising in Alfred's voice again.

Bruce let out a heavy sigh, crossing his arms over his chest, "I don't have to explain myself to you Alfred."

"No. You certainly do not. But you will to Dick. He is first and foremost your son. Think about him for a moment before you pick up this new boy."

"I don't know how to tell Dick... Everything I can think of sounds wrong."

"I do not believe there is a gentle way to tell him, Bruce. Not that won't upset him at all." Alfred pinched the bridge of his nose, feeling the hints of a migraine coming on. "What's the boy's name?"

"Jason Todd..."


	6. Chapter 6

Bruce waited patiently as Dick trained himself. He kept a watchful eye on Jason, however. He did not tell Dick about the orphan, he figured it would be best if he gave the boy some time. And since he had sworn Alfred into secrecy, no one was able to alert the boy on what was transpiring in the secrecy if the batcave. Sure he could hack the mainframe if he wanted, but that would require suspicion as motivation. Of which he had none.

Dick had gotten Alfred to, likewise, keep anything they spoke about secret from Bruce. He got the butler to order some Kevlar suits for him, along with some new eskrima bats and back holsters. He modified a few of his masks, adding more pointed tips that followed up his temples and down his cheekbones some. Alfred assisted where he could, and went about his house work like usual. He found himself in an odd position, with secrets from both Bruce and Dick. He smiled some, thankful that he was in the know wholly

* * *

The holidays rolled in and Wally still heard nothing from his friend. He was getting anxious, starting to doubt what he had heard months before from the boy he had thought was his friend in his civilian garb. He sighed heavily, watching the snow falling from the skies in large bundles. He remembered years past on similar days where he and Robin would be out making snow forts and having snowball fights with everyone. Wally grumbled to himself, pulling out his cell phone and dialing his friend's number. He held the device to his left ear. He listened as it went straight to voicemail, no personal message to greet him, just an automated woman's voice claiming the number he had dialed was unavailable at the time and to please leave a message. after the beep he spoke,

"Hey... It's Wally. I wanted to see if you would pick up... I was watching the snow, and it made me think of when we would have epic snowball fights with M'gann and Connor... everyone... We were always a good pair... Though I swear M'gann always cheated, telekinetically throwing snowballs at us from every direction... Robin... I miss yo-" The machine cut him off with a beep signaling the time ran out on the recording. Wally looked sadly at the image of his friend's masked face set as the caller ID on his phone. "I miss you..." he said to the picture.

* * *

Dick was too busy and distracted to notice the holidays much. He went through the motions, but he was always thinking about how to get the results he desired from his body. Bruce was glad to see the boy overcome his rape and focus on something else, but he was starting to worry as well. He noticed how Dick poured everything into his training, and he knew it was an escape from the memories. Bruce couldn't tell if that was good or bad.

Alfred, when asked by the billionaire what he should do, said Bruce should take Dick on s father son day. This baffled Bruce, he hadn't taken Dick on a father son day in at least a year. "Well he isn't a normal kid..." He said to Alfred as an excuse, "The usual thinks families would do don't ever quite work for us. Least they hadn't in the past."

"Well what have you two tried already?"

"We went to see a football game... He didn't particularly care about that... i tried once to go to the opera with Dick, but I couldn't..." Alfred grimaced, remembering Bruce's breakdown outside the theater. "We tried concerts, but we have very different tastes in music, plus no kid wants to go to a concert with their parents after the age of 10..."

"Perhaps, Master Bruce, you should ask him what he would like to do. Try something acrobatic perhaps, he see's to still love flying about in the air. Always gave me a heart attack, but he likes it."

Bruce smiled lightly, "Thanks Alfred, I'll go talk to him now." He said.

Bruce knocked on the door to Dick's room, having already checked the training room to find it empty. Dick hardly had time to grab a robe and hold it over his front when Bruce opened the door.

"Dick? Sorry, I knocked..."

"Yea, but you came in the same second."

"I can tell you're not naked, what are you wearing?"

Dick gave Bruce a disapproving look, "Can't I have some privacy?"

"Dick, is that your new outfit?" He walked up to the boy.

"Daaaaaad! please..."

"Come on, I made most of the Batman armor and gear. I can help you."

"Fine."

* * *

Alfred shook his head, looking down on his two boys. "So let me get things straight. I tell you to do something a father and son would do together to get Master Dick's mind off of his work... I even suggest some form of acrobatic event... And you go and start working on his gear instead... spending more time yet on his work..."

Bruce smiled a little, "Well he could have used the help. I've done this stuff before... I know how to make the gear most efficient."

"Did you miss the 'father and son' activity part?"

"Well this is what our family does, right Dick?"

"Right." Grunted the boy, breaking a few links off of his new utility belt to be able to adjust it to his waist size.

Alfred let out a heavy sigh, "Remind me again why I bother..."

"Because you love us." Teased Bruce.

"Ah right."

* * *

Dick stretched out, testing the flexibility of his new gear. He placed a hand on his chest, eyeing himself in the mirror. The deep blue downcast arrow over his chest made him smile a little at his reflection. Dick pulled his mask into place and crouched, moving this way and that. He jumped up and grabbed the rings suspended from the ceiling that he had always trained on before. He swung around, seeing how the new clothes would affect his acrobatics. Dick smiled lightly to himself, Bruce had helped make the gear perfectly balanced between protective and light. He landed on the floor and started his laps around the training room.

Bruce watched from the batcave, the security cameras catching every jump and transmitting it to Bruce's monitors. He could tell that Dick had put on a good amount of weight. He had been undernourished before and too thin to be healthy. He had gained back his muscle mass and then some. However the boy's body remained lean and that of an acrobat. Dick had grown a bit taller, but was still easily shorter than Bruce and most other male superheroes. He was pleased to see Dick able to easily maneuver in his new gear.

* * *

A few hours later Dick came up to Bruce. "I'm ready. Make the announcement to the League. I'm trying out for the team, and get the press ready for my public announcement."

Alfred looked from Bruce to Dick, "Master Dick..? Are you sure you are ready?"

"Alfred, I've been cooped up here for half a year. I think it's overdue." He said, a familiar fire in his eyes.

Bruce put down his spoon and nodded, "Alright, if you think you're ready... you know the drill."

Dick nodded, "I'll be waiting in the training room."

Alfred let out a sigh, "Must you two spar right now?"

"He has to pass my tests now, just like when he was about to make a public appearance as Robin before. I have to know he is ready."

* * *

After the three days of rigorous testing Bruce accepted Dick's choice, "You have progressed well since the last time we sparred."

Dick smirked some, "Thanks. I've grown up... I've learned a lot from you, father."

Bruce withheld a smile and cleared his throat, "Now, when would you like to speak to the public?"

"Today."

* * *

Bruce, as Batman, called a press conference. He did not tell any of them what it was about, but as good journalists, they had all concocted different theories. The stage was lit and a prompter filled with mikes awaiting the big news. Lights flashed from reporters cameras every other second.

The Batman stepped up, looking out over the crowd and into the news cameras that were broadcasting world wide in live casts. "I am pleased to announce the newest addition to the Bat family this evening-" The crowd roared with questions, asking him who it was, why now, where Robin was, the works. "Please hold all questions until the end of the meeting." He said sternly, employing his death stare that silenced the majority of the people. "Much better. I'll leave the mike to him, excuse me, Nightwing." He stepped aside and Dick came from off stage to take up the prompter. He was in his full body Kevlar suit. He looked over the crowd, his eyes hidden by the mask and white lenses that allowed him to see but not show his eyes. The cameras from the crowd went crazy, snapping pictures of him from multiple directions.

"People of Gotham... I am pleased to see all of your excited faces... and I hope that I am accepted alongside your Dark Knight as a permanent guardian of you all-"

"Do you know where Robin is?" Shouted a reporter.

Nightwing grimaced, "Yes." He answered.

"Where is he? Why is he not around anymore?"

"He... deserves a break. He may be making an appearance in a while, but I am here-"

"Are you his replacement?"

Nightwing grit his teeth, his temples flexing visibly. "I wouldn't say that. That's all. thank you for coming out here to welcome me." He said through his grit teeth sarcastically and stepped back to join the Batman offstage, "Shit..."

"Don't worry about it, you let them know in your own time. Shall we go to the league?"

Nightwing nodded, "Yea."

"Hey, I'm proud of you kid."

Nightwing smiled a little, following Bruce outside. He breathed in the newly warming air. He crouched down and scooped up a hand full of melting snow, "I wonder if any of them will recognize me."

* * *

The Batman was announced by the zetabeam transporter as he entered Mount Justice. He had earlier added Nightwing to the database, overwriting his Robin file so that his code would be the same. To any of the other members, they would see this as Nightwing replacing Robin entirely, while the Bat lost a sidekick and gained a colleague. Nightwing was announced to the people in the base. As soon as they were there Nightwing heard the TVs throughout the base repeating his earlier announcements. When his and Batman's arrival was announced, the young crime fighters all flocked to them.

Kaldur, M'gann, Connor, Artemis, Wally and a couple new faces all crowded around. M'gann was the first to introduce herself, "Hi! I'm M'gann." She would have been able to easily see that Nightwing was truly Robin, if she hadn't been extensively taught not to invade humans' heads when she first came to earth. "You're the newest addition to the Bat family huh? It's amazing to meet you!"

Connor watched quietly from the side, waiting for his girlfriend to stop fawning over him.

Wally was extremely anxious to speak to Nightwing, hoping the boy could tell him if Robin was okay. He figured he had to know... But now that he was up close to the new hero, he got a strange vibe that he already knew the boy.

Kaldur held out a hand to Nightwing, "It is a pleasure to meet you, Nightwing." He said formally.

he smirked a little to himself, finding it amusing to have his friends introducing themselves to him a second time. "Nice to meet you Kaldur." He took his hand, shaking it firmly.

Wally hurried up, unintentionally shoving his way to Nightwing. "Where's Robin?" He asked, planning to stick to his initial set of questions regardless of the familiarity he felt with Nightwing.

"Nice to meet you too."

"HiI'mWallyakaKidFlash Now where's Robin?" The speedster'swords blurring to get past the part of conversation he didn't care for.

"What's it matter to you huh? Is that all anyone want's to know?" He said a little angrily,

The group looked from one another then back to Nightwing, "We're all concerned for him." Kaldur said, speaking for them all.

Nightwing sighed, "How about I get comfortable before the interrogation huh? I gotta interview for the Justice League in a minute."

"In fact this moment." Said Red Tornado, "Come along Batman, Nightwing. The League is ready for you to speak and then vote."

Nightwing looked to his old friends, "Later."

* * *

Nightwing sat uncomfortably in his chair as he was appraised by the members of the Justice League. He answered their questions the best he could, his heartbeat accelerated. He looked up to Batman, drawing on him for courage.

When voting went underway he was made to wait outside of the room, unable to hear their discussion. He looked at the clock on the wall anxiously, feeling like time was moving far too slow.. the hands not moving at the proper speed. He held his head in his hands, trying to tell himself everything was going to be fine. 'They don't suspect I'm Robin... they don't know who I am either though... They are taking an awfully long time... Bruce isn't telling them who I am is he..? That wouldn't.. shit... what are they talking about?"

His mental battle was interrupted by a certain speedster. "Hey, Nightwing."

"What are you doing here Wally?" He asked, not looking up.

"You don't seem to like me much." He said, not answering Nightwing's question.

"You and the others, you all want to know where Robin is, you don't care about me one bit."

Wally sat next to him, watching him. "You're full of shit."

"Excuse me..!?"

"I know you're Robin."

Nightwing looked up at the speedster - his former best friend, wondering how he could be so sure. "That so? Ridiculous. You're so desperate to see him you've mistaken me for him." He said, scooting away from the speedster, who, in return, moved closer. He felt a draw toward the red head, but refused to acknowledge it. "What?"**  
**  
"You may be taller and stronger... you might have a different name... but Robin, he would have grown taller in 7 months. He could have worked out and gained muscle mass... and anyone can change a mask and clothes. There's not much you have that can prove you're NOT Robin." The speedster got up and walked a little ways away before stopping, "And I know how to get the truth. I do know a telepathic hero after all."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer -I do not own the characters depicted in this FanFiction, nor anything else of the DC multiverse. **

**- Enjoy -^w^- **

* * *

Nightwing grimaced to himself, watching Wally go. Despite the urge to chase down the speedster, he had to wait for the League's decision. If they accepted him, he wouldn't have to see Wally or any of the other teen heroes, at least not on a regular basis. Then again, was that really what he wanted? If he just left them behind so easily, what would they say when he revealed himself to be Robin all along? Nightwing groaned and scratched the back of his neck, getting up and pacing.

"Why don't I just see what they are saying about me?" He asked himself, pulling out his high tech cell phone and quickly breaking into the league's security network. He pulled up the camera footage for the meeting room and listened to their discussion through the wireless transmission from his phone to his com.

"He's just become a Hero, Batman," started Superman, his hands on his hips and his chest all puffed out.

"Yes, but does it count for anything that he has been at this for years? I mean, no one knew about him until now because he decided to make himself known to Gotham and the world. That d doesn't mean he's a novice, I've tested him like I did Robin, before allowing him into the fields. Nightwing is ready, trust me," the Batman spoke clearly, demanding the others listen to him.

There was a moment of quietness, League members looking from one another and over the stats of Nightwing supplied to them on touch screen monitors before each of them, provided by Batman of course.

"Well... I think it's too soon. He's just now come out of the shadows, he isn't trusted amongst the public yet, and no one but you know him," interjected Black Canary. "I'm sure he will be fantastic, but first he needs to prove himself."

"Canary has a point. Give it a little time. We're not saying no, we're waitlisting him," finalized Wonder Woman.

Nightwing quickly pulled out of the League's security system and pushed his phone back into one of the compartments of his belt. He sighed, "Waitlisted... never been before." He said to himself. Not even in school. It was a horrid state of in between. Not accepted nor rejected. Constantly watched for mistakes and signs of anything the League could find unsavory. He sighed lightly, knowing he had relied on the Batman's stamp of approval far more than he should have. Of course they wanted to see him in action, see what he's like.

"Damnit." He bit the inside of his cheek and waited impatiently for Batman to come back out of the meeting room.

A few minutes later the doors opened and a few of the heroes stepped out, the Flash, Batman, and the Black Canary. The latter approached first, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nightwing. I know you had high hopes of entering the League today, but we just cannot take you in blindly. That doesn't mean you cannot join in the future, we all just agree that you need a little time to spread your wings a little more before flying," they both smiled at the play on words and Black Canary shook his hand, "I hope this doesn't discourage you too much, just take it a little easy okay? Bring it up again in a few months. In the meantime, perhaps getting acquainted with the other teen heroes would suit you?"

Nightwing held back a grimace and nodded, "right. Thank you for your time."

* * *

Dick groaned as he pulled off his Nightwing gear, "You serious right now?" He asked his father figure.

"If you are ready to fight crime and attempt to join the Justice League, then you are more than well enough to go back to school."

"But I'm smarter than all my classmates already, I don't even listen in class-"

"Maybe I should see about getting you pushed up a grade again then,' suggested the sly billionaire.

"Ugh... Really? A sophomore at the age of 15? Skipping freshman year in high school. It's so pointless, I could nearly graduate already. You've put me through the best schooling there is, as well as tutors to bring subjects to me not really offered at Gotham's schools."

"Well you can be a 15 year old junior then. I can't have you just test out of school."

Dick gave his father a glare and tugged off his mask, the last shred of Nightwing he had on, revealing his deep blue eyes to Bruce, who had only taken off his cowl. "This is completely not whelming."

Bruce smirked a little bit. Dick hadn't slid one of his play on word phrases into a conversation since before the Joker incident. "Alright, regardless, you have to go back. It's still morning, I'll tell them you were finishing up final checkups and that's why you missed your first classes today."

"Wait, they need at least a week's notice in advance that a student that's been gone forever is coming back - that would mean you spoke to them before I let you in on my plans..."

"I didn't make the call, Alfred did."

Dick groaned and threw himself onto his oversized bed, "Of course he did.. that's so Alfred."

During Dick's time off from hero duty and his recovery, Bruce had told the high school that Dick had had a medical emergency, leaving them with just enough information so that however things turned out with his son, he could enroll the boy easily enough. He knew that Dick would have to go back to regardless of his decision, it was just a matter of time.

"Come on, you have to be ready to go within 20 minutes."

* * *

Dick sulked in the car ride the whole way to the private school he had just been enrolled in. the Joker incident had fallen just after Dick's last year of 8th grade, his skills had pushed Bruce into enrolling him a year ahead for the next semester, putting Dick in high school as sophomore instead of leaving him as a freshman. Now he was going to drop into his classes halfway through the school year - which Dick was sure wouldn't challenge him in the least. This school was a whole step up from the last one, a new campus, occupied only by sophomores, juniors and seniors, the freshman having to wait a year to join the big leagues at the bigger, more intimidating school, leaving them with the 7th and 8th graders.

He wondered for a moment if he could just pass off as a new student, but soon dropped the prospect when he remembered he was being driven to school in a custom BMW, and his name recognised as Bruce Wayne's adopted son throughout the nation if not Canada and a few other countries as well. Unless the obviously rich and well educated high schoolers lived in very small, very limited bubbles, they would know who he was, and fast.

"Alfred, I don't want to go," complained Dick.

"Master Richard, what is there to worry about?" Asked the butler, looking in the rearview mirror to meet the boy's eyes.

"I'm going to be recognised, I'm joining the school year half way through... I don't know anyone here," Dick started to panic, his mind racing to the worst possible outcomes he could think of, "What if someone wants to kidnap me and hold me for ransom? Everyone knows Bruce is filthy rich... anyone that wanted to could figure out how to get to me," Dick pointed out. He hadn't noticed before how easily someone could target him, outside of his Robin persona. "This is Gotham after all.. the damndest of all the cities in America..."

"Master Richard... Please, you'll give yourself an anxiety attack. You aren't defenseless, and even if someone could get into your security filled high school, you are no ordinary boy. You know how to fight men three times your size, I'm not worried in the least, if it makes you feel better to know that. And if you really feel in danger, you know you can instantly contact either Bruce or myself. If things just become overwhelming, you have an anxiety attack or just feel you truly need to leave, I am always just a quick call away. I will pick you up, no questions asked."

Alfred felt a good amount of anxiety for the boy as well. He wasn't sure how Dick would fare at the new school, or if he was truly ready after his traumatic experiences. He was more than happy to enroll Dick in the school when he knew the boy was ready to be out amongst people again, to learn and grow, but he was also very cautious. He had made sure the school was up to date in all forms of security there could be, and that no strangers were allowed on the premise. After all, just like Dick had thought, many rich children do need protection in Gotham city, the damndest city in America.

* * *

Dick walked quietly through the halls of the private school, noting all of the old architecture - the beautiful archways, the tall ceilings, the grand staircases. And here or there were little black domes that Dick knew housed security cameras. Discreetly placed, he knew just under half of them were invisible to anyone untrained by the Batman's keen eye. Dick made his way alongside Alfred the student office. as they entered a brightly dressed woman smiled to them from behind her L shaped desk. "Richard Grayson-Wayne, and..." The woman glanced at her computer monitor for a second, not knowing the butler's name, "Alfred Pennyworth."

Dick raised a brow and looked up to Alfred, who he knew had been the one to enroll him, and therefore the reason they got his name wrong.

"Excuse me - actually, his father is Wayne, he is Richard Grayson. No hyphen."

"Pardon me, I supposed Wayne was a part of his name because of Mr. Wayne. My mistake, I'll fix that in a moment. Here is your schedule, your current class is Advanced Biology, with a Mrs. Devon. Here is a map of the school, I took the liberty of marking your classes for you, so you can see your way around easier. everyone is given five minutes between classes for passing time. You'll be told by individual teachers if you need anything specific for their classes when you meet them, otherwise if you have any questions I'm here, and there is a conduct policy at the front of your planner. Have a nice first day Mr. Grayson "

Dick cleared his throat, taking his things and looking up to Alfred, not knowing what to say, and feeling rather dismissed by the receptionist. He looked at the map and sighed. Dick walked with Alfred out into the hall. "Alright, well see you later, Alfred."

"I'll be here to pick you up at the end of the day, Master Richard." He placed a hand over his head and bowed slightly, smiling warmly to the boy before walking back down the corridor to the parking lot.

Dick made his way to his class, finding the corridors rather long and difficult to navigate. He could tell the building was pretty old, but the plaques next to the doors that listed the teacher's name and the room number were new. He wondered for a moment just how many kids were at the school to make it necessary to have such a massive building.

Before too long Dick found Mrs. Devon's room as marked on the map. He entered after a gentle knock and was greeted by a short graying woman with horn rimmed glasses. Mrs. Devon smiled and spoke gently, "Grayson, right?" She ushered the boy in and pointed to a seat off to the right of the room next to the tall windows that lit the room. rows of wide tables made up the permanent arrangement of the lecture section of the room, while the back half of the rectangular room donned slightly wider marble finished lab tables with high tech microscopes, slides, hanging plants and jars of things he didn't care to look harder at. The back of the room was lined with machines like a mass spectrometer and others that dick didn't bother to name at the moment.

He was thankful that Mrs. Devon didn't make him stand in front of the class and introduce himself like he knew most other teachers would end up doing later on that day. Dick sighed lightly and took up a seat directly next to the window, resting his elbow on the table and resting his chin in his palm. He ignored the immediate stares he received, not wanting to interact with any of them, at least not right then.

Dick waited for the bell and got up the moment it sounded and pulled out his map, looking at his schedule as well to determine which class it was he should be headed for. "Gym... of course." Dick refolded the paper and slid it into his back pocket. Within the day he knew he would have the majority of the school's layout memorized, despite not going through it. He was always good with locations.

The hallways were far different when filled with mingling students. Every tenth person was attached to another, making out against the walls as if they were at home. The mere ferocity of some of it made Dick's stomach churn. The young acrobat made his way to the boys locker room and found an office tucked in one of the corners. There he approached a male he assumed was the teacher, or coach.

"Excuse me, I'm new, and I don't have a locker or gym clothes. I'm Richard Grayson."

The teacher looked up and one corner of his mouth pulled up in an uneven smile, "well hello Dick. I'm Mr. Baker. I'll get you a locker in a moment, and as for gym clothes, you'll be fine in that. Tomorrow bring a wife-beater or something similar, at the end of class I'll give you tomorrow's uniform with everyone else. What size are you? Small?"

Dick grimaced inwardly and nodded, "Yes," he had never liked his size. Even after all of his training and exercising, he still was relatively small.

Baker picked up on the vibe coming off Dick and crouched some to look Dick in the eye, "Hey, you know the small guys can pack a powerful punch too."

Dick raised a brow, "I know. Not many others think that though."

"Yea well, it can be a surprise."

Dick let out a chuckle, "If only you knew."

* * *

The young acrobat waited in the locker room while the other boys changed, testing his new locker a few times since he didn't have to change for his first day. He was one of the last lockers within the range of the others occupied during that class hour, which DIck liked well enough. Though he figured he would probably have to change in the bathroom stalls all year long because he wasn't about to come up with a string of lies to explain the scars over his body.

When everyone started filing out into the field house attached to the locker room Dick followed a few steps behind. He had a feeling he was going to be a silent observer throughout the first few days at the new school. Regardless, he could feel the probing looks, the curious stares.

Dick sat on the wooden benches off to one side, taking in the gym. The wall to his back and the wall in front of him were lined with wood benches up nearly to the high ceilinged room. It was like many rooms in the school, more rectangular than anything else. He noted the markings on the ground for basketball and hockey games, the divots in the hard wood floors where poles for volleyball and badminton would be secured.

Mr. Baker entered the room with a large mesh bag of foam balls over his shoulder, holding the draw strings that held the bag shut. "Alright kiddies, so today is just filler, tomorrow we start martial arts in the Dojo Fieldhouse, be on time, wear your uniforms, and for god's sake, tie your belt properly and take care of your judo uniforms, their expensive - as your parents know. It would be such a shame if a few of you had to buy multiple judo uniforms," He teased with his half smile.

Dick held back a smirk. Martial Arts. He was sure he could do some damage there. Then it dawned on him - he can't be too good, or it'll raise suspicion. In that instant the prospect of having to hold back his abilities made him scowl. He didn't want to, but he would have to accept a few falls here and there. That would be quite difficult for the well rounded martial artist that is Dick Grayson. He sighed and watched as the boys hurled multi-colored balls at one another, noticing no females amongst them. Dick made his way to Mr. Baker, who was marking off attendance in his phone.

"Mr. Baker? Is this an all male class?"

The teacher looked from his phone to Dick, "Well for a large portion it's segregated because of sheer number of students there are for the coed class. There are units we share with the girls though, they'll join us a couple days into judo, right now they're finishing their syncro unit."

Dick smiled a little, "Syncro huh? The guys don't have to swim around and make geometric shapes underwater with their legs in the air?"

"Oh god no, it would be a terrible time for all involved!" Mr. Baker let out a throaty chuckle.

Dick laughed lightly along with the teacher, already feeling like he was going to enjoy the class. "Well that should be a relief I guess."

"You looking forward to the martial arts unit? You managed to squeeze right into school just in time for it."

"Yea, I suppose so. I just don't know how I'll do. I've learned one or two things..." or maybe I've nearly mastered 13 forms of martial arts. He thought to himself.

"Ah, well I'm sure you will do great."

* * *

The rest of the day went by just fast enough. Dick nearly ran to the car waiting for him, Alfred standing on the curb and looking for the boy in the crowd. He smiled warmly to Dick when he approached. "How was your first day?"

Dick let out an exaggerated groan, "It was the worst Alfred, they made me eat chalk."

Alfred's face contorted in surprise, having not expected that, and buying into the boy's complaint rather fast."Why on earth..?!"

Dick burst out laughing at the butler, "I'm just screwing with you, Alfred. Let's go home, I've got work to do."

* * *

**AN 1:** I'm so proud of myself for getting this chapter out so quickly. I seriously wrote in in two (or three?) days. And it's the longest one so far! awe yeaaaa.

**AN 2: **This chapter and the next I got information about young Grayson's skills off of Batman Wikia (I'm not sure I'm allowed to post the link, so just google Richard Grayson fighting style and it's the fifth listed link.) Loved the info and it gave me more plot ideas.

Tell me what you guys think! I've got some great ideas a brewin' so I hope everyone enjoys and continues to follow Clipped Wing! You're all fantastic, thank you for your support -^w^-


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer**  
Young Justice belongs to DC. I do not own Young Justice or any of the characters from the show and/or comic.

**Authors Note**  
Series contains MalexMale, if such stories bother you, do not read further.  
Bird/Flash eventually

* * *

Dick eagerly dressed in his Nightwing gear when he got home, not wanting to waste any time. He wanted to get to Mount Justice and start proving himself to the League as soon as possible. He ruffled his dark locks and took a quick glance in the mirror before heading to the batcave. Thankfully Bruce had done some work on his bike, leaving nearly no trace of Robin in it. Painted black with a blue stripe down either side, the bike roared to life between the teen hero's thighs..

Nightwing drove through the opened zeta beam and came through the other side in Mount Justice. He parked his bike as his arrival was announced by a female voice. He was greeted by Kaldur upon his arrival.

"Nightwing, back so soon?" He smiled warmly to the newcomer.

Nightwing nodded, "Yes, well I'm eager to get to some crime fighting."

"Right- well we don't have much going on right now. If you would like, you could visit with some of the other young heroes," Kaldur inspected Nightwing a moment, "how old are you? If you do not mind my asking."

Nightwing blushed a little and scratched the back of his head, "15," He answered hesitantly. "My birthday is in a month." 'Oh crap, I shouldn't have said that... He knows Robin's birthday is next month...' "Er, I mean this month, I keep forgetting it's February now. February 20th I'll be 16." He lied.

Kaldur smiled a little and nodded, "I see. Well if you like, I'm sure the heroes here wouldn't mind getting to know you. Batman has always been one to attract much interest - you being the closest to him - you're bound to be questioned."

"Oh how fun, I wonder if I can find an embarrassing story in my memory that would win me some favor."

Kaldur let out a whole hearted laugh, "It would indeed, however I am sure Batman would not enjoy that quite as much as the other heroes."

"He's too much of a stick in the mud, it'd do him some good to open up a bit."

Nightwing followed Kaldur into the living room where a few teens were conversing. Remembering Wally's threat before made Nightwing hesitate, "Is Wally here?"

"No, his school just got out and he often gets detention, so he won't be here for a few hours."

Nightwing nodded and relaxed a little. He looked to the teens sitting around the coffee table, noticing a few new faces. "I don't know anyone but you, Superboy and Artemis..."

Kaldur pointed to each as he named them, "That's Wonder Girl, or Cassie. That's Blue Beetle, and Bumblebee. Our team is much larger, you know M'gann and Wally. You'll meet the others later on. Many of us cannot gather on weeknights until later because of school."

"I know. I came here right after classes ended."

"Where do you go?"

"A private school in Gotham."

"If you don't mind my asking... You live with Batman?"

"Yes."

"And so does Robin?"

"... Yes."

"Forgive me, I'm sure you are annoyed with people asking, but is he alright? Is he... recovered? Robin is a close friend, and I just... I don't want you to mistake me for not caring about you, that is not the case at all, I'm just worried for him."

Nightwing sighed and nodded, "He is doing better. I'll tell him you asked of him."

Kaldur's expression lightened, "Oh good."

Nightwing debated whether or not to tell Kaldur right then and there that he was Robin, seeing how worried his friend was about him was difficult. But he refused himself, he knew it would be better if everyone knew at once. After he established himself amongst the heroes.

"Can I ask you, where were you when the broadcast went out?"

Kaldur gestured to the livingroom, "Here. With the other heroes. Where were you?"

"I was training. I didn't see the broadcast until later on, after I heard all the fuss about it." Kaldur nodded, his expression saddened. "Hey, I didn't mean to upset you," Said Nightwing worriedly.

"No, It;s alright. I just wish he would contact us. All of his friends, we're all waiting to hear from him."

"Well... I can try to be a go-between I guess."

"You don't have to, if he would just email or video call Mount Justice that would make us happy."

Nightwing nodded, making a mental note to send out an email to everyone. He didn't realize that so many of the teenage heroes would be so worried about him. He felt a little selfish, for having not contacted any of them even now that he was better.

A racket caught his attention and Nightwing looked up to see M'gann floating out of the kitchen with a plume of smoke trailing her. "Oh darn! Silly Megan! I should have been watching the oven better."

Nightwing instantly suspected foul play and threw up his mental guards when he saw the martian. Kaldur hurried into the kitchen and doused the flames coming from the abused oven. Nightwing looked to M'gann, trying to decipher if she was attempting to get into his head.

"Oh, hey Nightwing!" M'gann moved up to him, smiling warmly, "I hadn't noticed you come in."

"Hadn't you? I find it hard to startle a martian," he teased lightly, a little less suspecting of her.

M'gann giggled some, "Yes well, I was distracted with cooking inedible food I suppose, so don't judge me."

Nightwing chuckled, "Alright, I won't. I'm going to introduce myself to the heroes I don't know." He said, going to the living room. "Hey, um, this is a little awkward, but I'm Nightwing, I work with Batman in Gotham."

Blue Beetle waved, "Hola 'migo. I'm Blue Beetle, but you can call me Blue, everyone else does."

"Nightwing huh? That some kind of bird?" Asked Bumblebee, appraising him.

"Batman works best with birds," Nightwing smirked slyly.

Cassie giggled, "Clever. I'm Cassie- Wonder Girl."

"Nice to meet you guys," He said to the three new team members. He smirked a little, realizing that in their eyes, he was the newest member, but ironically a member longer than any of them but Kaldu, Wally and Roy.

Just as Nightwing was about to sit down there was a rush of papers and a blur of red and yellow. Wally halted in the livingroom and eyed Nightwing before rushing off after M'gann. Nightwing paled and stood, "I just realized I have somewhere I have to be, see you guys later." He hurried back to his bike and left before anyone could call him back.

* * *

Wally groaned, "Come on M'gann, do it for me!"

"No! Oh Wally, just talk to him! You guys all told me how wrong it was that I intrude on people's minds! I can't go snooping around Nightwing's head just because you suspect he's Robin," replied M'gann, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh come on... Just once?"

"No."

"But how else am I-"

"NO. Talk to him yourself, you can't use me to cheat," she denied him.

* * *

Nightwing pulled off his mask and stripped out of his Nightwing gear. He pulled on a loose grey T-shirt with long sleeves and messed his hair as much as he could before pulling on his sunglasses. He slouched some to look shorter and kept his arms down to hide any muscle gain from the camera. Dick started his recording on his computer, using his webcam to record a message for his friends. Dick waited a moment and cleared his voice. He checked his appearance on the screen and sighed.

"Hi guys. Uhm, Nightwing told me that you all have been waiting to hear from me... so I'm making a video to say hi... I'm okay, and I didn't mean to worry everyone so much, I just couldn't for the longest time... I couldn't talk to anyone. I'm going to school in Gotham, but I am not returning to Mount Justice... not for a long time at least - if at all. You guys can email me, and I would appreciate if no one shared this video with the media. It's none of the public's concern. Well... That's it I suppose," Dick stopped the recording and sighed, sending it off to Mount Justice, where it would play on the TV as well as being sent to each of his friends' emails.

No more than ten minutes passed before he got responses from Kaldur, M'gann and Artemis. He hadn't sent it to Artemis, but she had seen it on the Mount Justice livingroom TV and emailed him back.

Kaldur wrote: '_Robin! You have no idea how happy I was to see you. You look well. Have you been feeling alright? You looked sad... But what do I know, I couldn't tell from your eyes, always keeping them hidden. You should come visit... You don't have to go out on missions, just come see us. Will you think about it at least? We're here for you. If you want, I could come see you..._'

M'gann Wrote: '_Robbieeee! Oh we miss you! you're voice sounds deeper. How is your school you mentioned? Will you stay in contact with us now? Wally's been going crazy without you. We all have, but he's threatening to harass Nightwing about you. It's good to see you, you should video chat with all of us tonight! We have new members that wanna meet you, you know. How are your injuries? Connor says hi, he can't figure out how to make an email to write you._'

Artemis wrote: '_Why the hell did it take you so long to message us? Batman wouldn't tell anyone anything about you you know. Wally went crazy when you cut everyone off. He was so obsessed I couldn't stand it, we've broken up_.'

Dick grunted when he read the last one. Artemis had always seemed like a selfish one to begin with. He jumped when his computer lit up with a video call. He grimaced and pushed his shades up on his nose and answered.

"WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU CALL ME?!" Burst Wally, the frantic teen's face residing only an inch from his camera.

"Uh, Wally, I didn't contact anyone. We didn't end off on a great note."

"So what? You were on the damn TV, we all saw how you were hurt man, you had me worried sick! How did that all happen? You're the best combat fighter I know - how did you manage to get caught?"

Dick grit his teeth, his temples visibly flexing with the strain. He knew that Wally didn't know how to edit what he said before he said it, but it was a low blow, and he wasn't about to let it slide. "Listen, I don't have to deal with this. I didn't send that video to you in an attempt to open the way to interrogations. I don't have to tell you anything. And it's none of your business either!"

Wally pulled back some from his camera and grimaced, "Rob, I didn't mean... look, I'm sorry. I just... I need to know how this happened, so it could be stopped in the future."

"It's not your place to protect me, Wally."

"Well you obviously need to be protected-"

"Why? Because I can't protect myself?! Just leave me be, Wally. I can't talk to you anymore. Don't call me again." Dick struggled to get the words out, a crushing pain constricting his chest. "I can take care of myself."

"I'm not saying you can't! Please, don't hang up, I'm sorry-"

"It's too late. Goodbye, Wally." And with that, Dick hung up his video chat with his former best friend.

* * *

Dick plopped down at the dinner table next to his father. He glanced up when he felt the man's stare on him. "What?"

"How was your first day back at school?" Asked Bruce, leaning back in his chair, waiting for Alfred to bring them their dinner.

Dick shrugged, "It was alright, nothing especially worth noting. Though we'll be starting Judo in gym tomorrow."

Bruce's brow twitched, "You better be careful, Dick."

"I know, I know. I already went through this in my head when I heard the news from the teacher. I can be strong, I can have some skills. Anything typical the son of a billionaire would know, but I can't beat out everyone."

"I would suggest only displaying five percent of your skill, max."

"Five percent of what skill, master Bruce?" Asked Alfred as he walked in with the cart hosting the delicious food he had been preparing for them.

"I have Judo training in gym tomorrow."

"Oh my, that is an issue."

"Have a little faith in my self-restraint why don't you two?" Dick shook his head and watched Alfred place the plates in front of himself and Bruce. "Hey, where does the League sit with Nightwing?"

Bruce looked up from his plate, "Well... Black Canary told you you just have to become more established. Everyone want's to see what you can do, and be sure you, as well as the League, would benefit from you joining."

Dick grunted and poked his food, suddenly less hungry than he had previously been. What Wally had said kept echoing through his head, making him stop to think about the horrible ordeal more than he could bear.

"Is everything alright, Master Richard?" Asked the astute butler.

"Huh? Oh, yea. I'm fine. I was just thinking about training," he lied.

* * *

Dick padded to the restroom stalls off to the side of the boy's locker room, knowing he couldn't change in front of the other boys. He had to be sure his scars didn't raise serious questions with the other student. He locked the stall and tugged off his shirt and pushed down his pants. As he was bent forward his present from Harley Quinn caught his eye. He touched the marred skin on his left side, remembering the feel of the cold metal sticking between his ribs. Dick swayed for a moment, the memories washing over him like an unwelcomed burst of ice water.

He grabbed ahold of the wall to steady himself and squeezed his eyes shut tight in an attempt to clear his head. Dick grit his teeth and pulled on his Judo uniform, tieing it to himself with experienced hands.

"Three minutes, boys! I want you all to hurry to the dojo!" Called Mr. Baker from the office. Dick hurried out of the stall, surprising a couple of his classmates who had taken notice of his absence.

"Hey new kid, why do you change in the bathroom?" One of the large males asked, smirking. "Self conscious?"

'Yes,' thought the young robin. "I had to use the bathroom too. Figured I'd change while I was in there."

The jock grunted, still smiling. He turned to his friends and mumbled something that Dick couldn't pick up on. 'Great. And so the gossip begins.' Dick hurried to the dojo, not wanting to spend any more time in the confined space than he had to.

In the dojo, all of the boys were lined up off to one side, sitting on their legs, their hands resting on their knees and their backs straight. Dick fell into place in the second row and watched as the room filled with a good number of the male student body.

Mr. Baker came in wearing a black Judo uniform, his short sandy hair tied into a ponytail at the nape of his neck. His signature half smile lighting his features when he noticed Dick and his perfectly tied judo uniform. The coach moved to the center of the line, staying on his feet. "Alright, so today's class will start out with me showing you all a few moves, then some one on one sparring for fun. Later on in the unit, while the girl's are here, we'll have a pro come in and show you all a thing or two - 'cuz I'm no expert. Now, up! keep a full arm's length from your neighbors... that's it. Mirror my moves."

A half hour in, everyone but Dick and Mr. Baker were sweating from the repetitive exercise. They were allowed to take a break while the coach walked around, giving each of the boys a number. They were instructed to find the other boy in the dojo with the same number, and then spar one-on-one.

Dick held up his hand, showing that he was given the number four. He grimaced when he discovered that his partner was one of the boys that had been talking about him earlier. The brunette smirked and took his stance, ready to take on the younger teen nearly one third smaller than himself.

"Ready?" Asked the larger male.

Dick sighed inwardly and nodded, taking up his own fighting stance. "Ready." 'I've got to remember I cannot use my all.. If I am to pull this off, I have to be just about as much a novice as anyone else here...'

The other male shuffled closer to Dick, snapping his dominant foot up. Dick dodged easily enough, crouching and throwing up his hand to knock the suspended leg back, making the male stumble in an attempt to catch his balance. The brunette scowled and Dick could see the anger light up in the boys' eyes at the surprise of being pushed back by such a small opponent. He advanced on Dick again, moving faster. The younger male knew the brunette's intended attack before he made it, but gave in to it regardless.

Dick's legs were swept out from under him, knocking him onto his back. Before he could blink, the larger male was pinning him down, his weight keeping Dick from being able to get up. Dick struggled under the larger male, trying to escape. The brunette tangled their legs together to keep Dick down, one hand gripping the boy's hip while the other pressed against Dick's chest, along his collar. The younger tried to push the other male off, which only awarded him a grunt from the larger male, who pressed his hips down on Dick to stop his struggles some.

He could smell the musky scent of the brunette, see his brows drawn down and together with his effort and the feel of the larger male pressing down on him. It was all too much. The friction of their moving hips drove Dick insane, eliciting small gasp from the young robin when he felt himself hardening, unable to stop.

Dick squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to will away the pleasure he was feeling from the contact. However it did him no good. A memory of him and Wally wrestling in a similar manner overwhelmed his senses, only adding to the whole ordeal. The young robin rotated his hips up, his lips parting for a moment before he realized what he was doing. His eyes snapped open and he tried desperately to get away from the brunette, to hide his erection from him. But it was too late. Recognition lit up the larger male's features and he pulled back all too soon.

In no time Dick was flying out of the dojo, ignoring Mr. Baker's questions that followed him out of the room. He hurried to the bathroom stall he had changed in before and locked the door. Horror struck, Dick chanced a look down at himself and bit into the inside of his cheek harshly. "Why...?" He asked, broken heartedly.

Laughter echoed through the locker room, and Dick knew it was the jocks. The brunette had told the ringleader what had happened, and within minutes, the young robin knew it would be all over the school. The new kid had gotten a boner while he was being held down by another male student in Judo training.

"No..." Dick whimpered, defeated.


	9. Chapter 9

The young robin waited in the stall, unable to decide what to do. Now and then heard some of the other students come in and use the restrooms. He heard some shuffling in front of his stall and held his breath, hoping that they weren't waiting for him to come out. He knew that class still had a little bit of time left, and he intended on leaving before the rest of the boys came back to change.

Dick heard some boys chuckling to one another and continue their conversation within his earshot. "...you know, cuz of his his name, right?" Asked one of the boys in a hushed tone.

"Richard Grayson? Aka Dick. How fitting that is," answered the other boy. "Dick loves dick."

His heart sank instantly. Of course they would make a joke out of him one way or another. A play on his name, fantastic. Homophobes. Thought Dick. He cursed to himself when he realized that he had essentially just confirmed to himself that he was gay. No... I can't be... I...Dick sunk to the floor of his stall and pulled out his cell phone.

* * *

Alfred hurried to the student office as fast as he could after having received the distressed call from Dick. The boy wouldn't give him the details, but he could tell that the young one needed to be home. As soon as he had altered the boy's father to what was going on, he left for the school. Dick was in the student office, his backpack clutched to his chest and his head lowered, his face tear stained when Alfred found him.

"Master Richard?! What happened?" Asked the worried butler.

"Not here Alfred. Can we go home?" He asked, his voice cracking with strain.

"Yes of course, let's go..."

The two walked to the Bentley, Alfred keeping close to the boy unconsciously. He was worried, Dick wasn't telling him anything, and his mind automatically went to the worst case scenario. But he had agreed not to ask Dick again until they were farther away. He slid into the driver's seat and waited until Dick was buckled in before he drove off toward Wayne Manor. Every few seconds he would eye the boy in the rear view mirror, and catch glimpses of him breaking down further and further.

Alfred turned the car off in the garage and sat in the darkness, waiting for Dick to speak first. When he did not for five minutes, the butler spoke up. "Master Richard, please say something. Anything. You have me worrying now,"

"I have a problem, Alfred."

"Oh?" Alfred turned to face the boy, just able to make out the shape of him in the back seat through the darkness. "Whatever it is I am sure it can be worked out-"

"I'm gay."

Alfred froze, his mouth dry. He didn't know how to respond to that. "Uhm... well that... that's a different story then isn't it, Master Richard." Alfred turned back to the steering wheel, staring out the windshield. The car was quiet and dark. A moment later Alfred picked up on the restrained sobs that were coming from the boy in the backseat. The butler grimaced and exited the car only to return to the back seat, next to Dick.

"I'm sorry- I can't take it back... I just... in gym class this boy... Alfred..." As soon as the butler was next to him he latched on. He buried his face against the elder's chest, his incoherent words giving way to crying.

"Master Richard, you don't have to explain anything. You don't have to fear anything with me, I promise."

"You don't think it's weak of me? Or disgraceful?" He asked.

"Of course not, look, I just want what is best for you, Master Richard. I want you to be happy." He smiled and rubbed circles on Dick's back gently. "You are an amazing young man... and you'll make another young man a very happy boyfriend someday."

Dick let out a strained chuckle, "Thanks Alfred... This is the worst thing... Bruce is going to be so disappointed."

"Why do you say that?"

"Come on... He's the most macho man I know... public image means a lot for Wayne Industries, and the son of it's CEO being a flaming gay isn't going to help."

"I'm sure public image means a heck of a lot less to your father than you think it does. Not to mention the growing acceptance of the GLBT community. Master Bruce loves you, and I doubt this will change anything."

"Promise you won't tell him."

"I... won't tell him. But you have to. He knows I picked you up from school for an emergency."

Dick groaned, "I'm scared, Alfred."

"Of Master Bruce?"

"Of being gay... already the boys in my gym class were making fun of me. I can't take daily humiliation, Alfred."

"You won't have to. That is a very progressive school, if I must I will speak to the dean myself and assure you have the best of environments to learn in. In the meanwhile, shall we go inside?"

"Yea.. Hey Alfred?"

"Yes Master Richard?"

"Thank you..."

* * *

"Why did you have to pick Dick up from school?" Burst Bruce, starring his butler down.

"Perhaps you should calm down, and then ask him yourself?"

"Alfred, just tell me."

"I cannot, sir. Master Richard asked me not to say anything."

"Well you two sure do seem to have a lot of secrets. I feel like I have this conversation with you each week."

"Might I offer you a bit of advice, before you storm into the boy's room?"

Bruce raised a brow, "What?"

"Try and be calm. Understanding. Master Richard has been through a great deal..."

"Jesus, I'm going to him now." Bruce stormed off to Dick's room, much to Alfred's displeasure. "Knock knock," Bruce pushed the door open to see Dick scribbling into a tattered notebook for a split second before the boy shoved it under his thigh.

"Don't say 'knock knock' as you enter a room!" Dick's cheeks were dusted a light pink as he scowled up at his father.

"You know I know you keep a diary. Though you never write in it. Only major things..."

"You've read it?! How dare you invade my privacy like tha-"

"I don't snoop through your things, Dick! I just know you. Privacy here is very much an illusion. I am Gotham's greatest detective."

"What you meant to say is the world's greatest detective, but you figure that sounds too cocky."

A corner of Bruce's mouth quirked up, "See? Even I cannot hide what I think from you. I've trained you well. Now, that isn't why I came here. Tell me why you left school early."

"Promise me first that you won't freak out. Don't do your overly protective father thing you always do."

"I promise nothing."

"Dad..."

"I promise not to overreact, there, satisfied?"

"I guess..." Dick deliberated for a moment, not knowing how to start, and dreading each word as it formed in his head. However, he knew he should just get it out and tell his father what had happened. "I called Alfred to come and get me before school was out because there was an incident during Judo. Remember how you said I couldn't show any of my past training in class? Well we had to spar, and so I let the boy pin me... uhm.." his voice cracked some, "I couldn't help myself... I was overwhelmed... He was just pushing down on me, and holding my hip and... I got hard. I rubbed against him before I could think... next thing I knew I was in the bathroom stalls waiting for the other boys to stop laughing at me."

Bruce held up his hands, signaling for his son to stop. "Dick..." He cleared his throat before speaking again, "So why didn't you go back out there? It's common for teenage boys to get random erections. Why didn't you wait it out and go back out there?"

"It wasn't random, Bruce. I couldn't help myself, yea, but it wasn't a random hard on."

"What are you saying..?"

"I'm gay."

Bruce stared at his son, his deep blue eyes piercing the boy. After several minutes of silence, Bruce spoke up. "No you're not."

"Have you listened to me? I'm gay! It all makes sense to me now, please..."

"No, you're just confused, you don't know what you're saying, Dick you're too young to know that you're gay. This is all just a phase."

Tears built up in Dick's eyes and he shook his head, "I know I'm gay, don't say it's a goddamn phase! You just don't want it to be true!"

"You're going back to school tomorrow, and then you're coming straight home. No Mount Justice, no night watch, straight home." Bruce got up and closed the doors to Dick's room, done with the conversation.

"Screw you!" Dick cried through the door.

Alfred flinched and looked from the door to Bruce, "That was not what I had suggested, Master Bruce. You of all people know how fragile Master Richard is. How could you say such things to him? He is clearly very vulnerable right now, and you go and punish him for admitting something extremely personal about himself."

"He is just confused. He mistook his body's reaction as a tell tale sign to his sexual orientation."

"Might I ask you what would be so wrong with Master Richard being gay?"

"He's not gay!"

"Why does this bother you so much?!" Snapped Alfred, real anger clear on the butler's face.

"Because it is a weakness, Alfred. If anyone finds out he's gay... If people find out Nightwing is gay... and they know he was the Robin that was abused by the joker... then people are going to abuse the knowledge. He will be a target of homophobia. The poster child of what happens to gay heroes... As Nightwing or as Richard Grayson... I wouldn't wish this life on him. He won't have the same rights as anyone else... his quality of life is lowered..." Bruce shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck, looking to the ground. "After everything he's been through... after what had happened with the joker's thug, I never would have thought he would be gay."

"Why? Because he was raped by a man, he cannot find comfort in the company of a man ever again? Master Bruce, it doesn't work like that. I am certain that sexual orientation is not a chosen trait. What happened to him months ago... that was bad luck, which has no say in the molding of his sexuality. He may just develop an inability to trust men. And you sure as hell aren't helping."

"What am I supposed to do Alfred? Throw him a coming out party? I cannot celebrate this. Neither can anyone else. This world is not an accepting place - especially not Gotham, Alfred."

"And you just proved to him that his home isn't either, Master Bruce. You should apologize to him, make sure he knows you still love him..."

Bruce looked up at Alfred at the last comment, "I will always love him, he's my son. Nothing will ever change that."

* * *

Dick listened in to Alfred and Bruce's conversation from his side of the door. The two hadn't moved very far, and the young robin could make out most everything they said. He sat with his back pressed to the door, his knees drawn up to his chest and his arms locked around them. Tears streamed down his cheeks as he listened to his father's explanation of why he had reacted the way he had. His fears were being realized right then and there. He wasn't accepted by his father. He had worried in the car ride home that if he told his friends he was gay, that they would suspect that he had enjoyed the abuse of his rape and turned gay.

The young robin curled in on himself further, repeating a mantra to himself, "I'm not gay... I'm not gay... I can't be... I'm not gay." A lump formed in his throat, making him suffocate as he lied to himself. "I'll change myself... I'll fix this flaw... I'm not weak... I'm not gay..." Caught in his despair, Dick d didn't hear Bruce's last words to Alfred before the two parted from the hall in front of his door.

The pain that weighed on Dick compressed on his chest like a collapsed wall, crushing his ribs and squeezing his heart. He dug his nails into the palms of his hands, unable to find an outlet for his pain. He opened his hands to see one or two crescent moons of red coloring his pale skin in each palm. "I'll take control back..." He whispered to himself. "I am in charge of my body... If I don't want to feel this way... If I don't want to be attracted to men... I can force it, make myself one of them... like the rest of the straight teenage boys out there. Just gotta swallow down these feelings." His vision blurred as he got to his feet and padded toward his Nightwing gear hidden in his closet. He pulled out a modified Batarang and tested the blade, splitting the skin of his left thumb on the sharpened metal.

He hurried to the bathroom attached to his room and locked the door before pushing down his jeans. Dick held the cold metal to his right thigh and looked at himself in the mirror over the vanity. He stared at his reflection, nauseated by the image. He couldn't bare to look at himself. Turning from the mirror he dug the blade into his skin. The young robin had needed an outlet for the pain of his father's rejection, and the weight of his Bruce's words. As the crimson rolled down his leg, Dick bled out the day's events and the pent up stress of not understanding the depression that had plagued him for the past year that had developed with his lack of understanding his sexuality.

* * *

Alfred knocked on Dick's door and waited to hear from the boy. A minute later the gold knob turned and the door opened a crack. Alfred's heart sank when he saw the young teen standing just past the opening, the light from the hall falling on him. He looked pale, and his eyes bloodshot and red around the edges - obviously from crying.

"Master Richard? Dinner is ready," he said gently, fearful that if he spoke louder it would scare the boy into the recesses of his room.

"I won't eat with him."

"I understand your wish to keep a distance, please believe that... But he is your father, you two must get past this eventually, sooner rather than later."

Dick's deep blue eyes rolled up to look Alfred in the eye, the red surrounding them making his irises strikingly more blue. "I'm weak, a disgrace, a poster child for what happens to gay heroes."

Alfred's eyes widened some when he recognized part of what Dick had said as a quote of Bruce's earlier arguments. "No, master Richard, please - Bruce only said those things out of surprise and ignorance. He regrets what he had said and did not mean for you to hear any of that-"

"Exactly. You can always tell what someone thinks about you by what they say when they think you can't hear them."

"He will come around, he loves you dearly, Master Richard."

"He d doesn't have to come around, I'm fixing the problem."

"Fixing the problem?"

"If I got anything out of listening to my father, then it's that it's not okay for me to be gay. So I won't be."

"There's nothing wrong with you Master Richard! It d doesn't matter who you're attracted to, you are still a great hero, a kind hearted young man, an individual destined for greatness."

"I can't... I can't listen to this right now." He closed the door and turned back toward his quiet room, his mind racing.

Alfred hurried back to the dining hall and slammed his hand down next to Bruce's plate, "Go talk to your son. NOW. He's got all the awful things you said rattling around in his head making him think he has to change himself to gain your acceptance. He was already struggling with the knowledge of his sexuality since long before this. I could tell that Master Richard felt he was missing something for the longest time. Finding out his sexual orientation now was like an epiphany for him. Now he thinks he has to change_ for you_. This is your fault, you go fit it. NOW."

* * *

**AN: **Thank you everyone for reading! Please review and tell me what you thought! Was Richard a bit too dramatic? I hope it worked how I envisioned it to.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Batman or any of the DC Multiverse. Story contains mature situations and whatnot. Later Bird/Flash or MalexMale, if such stories are not your forte, then do not read this story. I don't how how you would have gotten this far in the first place without knowing where I was headed with everything, but this is my warning to you xD

**AN: **This chapter is a bit different, I'm trying something new so don't just stop reading after the first paragraph. I do get back to Dick, so don't flame me. Woot for dual story development!

* * *

Jason pressed his forehead against the window to his room, staring out at the rainy Gotham skies, distracted by thoughts of his parents keeping him from going to bed at the reasonable hour set by his temporary foster parents. He had been shuffled from home to an orphanage and then to the foster home he was currently in with five other kids around his age. He would have rather stayed with his drugged up mother then being moved around like the cattle he felt like. His father was gone, killed in prison during a riot, and every other night the young boy would come home to see his mother passed out on the floor of their crappy apartment, drooling with eyes wide trained at the ceiling. Yet he still felt that was a better place than the orphanage and foster care.

At least with her he had his freedom and a room of his own. One of Jason's foster brothers grunted in his sleep and kicked him, scooting over more onto Jason's designated space. The boy scowled and kicked back at the kid, trying to gain some of his personal space back. At least with his mother he had his own twin sized bed on the floor of the living room.

The other boys snored now and then, never leaving the room silent for more than a second. Jason curled in on himself and placed a hand to the cold glass of the window, wanting nothing more than to leave right then and there, despite the rain and cold temperature. He would risk a cold if it meant getting away from the weird family that hosted him. The mother always looked down on him with contempt while the father seemed not to notice, too busy watching him and his foster brothers. The two didn't have any kids of their own that they hadn't taken in from one orphanage or another, and Jason could tell that they had hosted a good number kids. He guessed mostly boys, however, telling by the majority of toy trucks and sports equipment and lack of dolls or tea sets.

A quiet knock on the door to the room made Jason turn quickly to the source, seeing his foster father peeking in. Jason was sure that the man was trying to have something to do, since his wife was out of town for the next couple of nights on a conference of some sort, and decided he would check on the boys. "Jason? Why are you still awake?" He asked in a hushed tone.

Jason shrugged, knowing he couldn't tell the man he had been sulking over his hatred for him and his wife. "Can't sleep."

"Oh, well would you like me to make you some hot cocoa?" Jason perked up slightly at the prospect of a warm drink.

"Yea." He said, jumping soundlessly to the floor next to his shared twin bed.

His foster father's brows drew upwards some, "You're pretty graceful, Jason."

"I know how to be quiet," he replied, padding toward the older male, looking up to him. The man was just a little taller than twice Jason's height and of medium build with dirty blonde hair and brown eyes.

"Come along, I'll make you that drink."

Jason followed the man into the kitchen and jumped up to the bar stool, his legs dangling over the side. He watched his foster father's back while he started to pull out the cocoa packets and milk, "You want it with milk, right?"

"Mhm." Jason spun on the stool, making himself dizzy while he waited, paying no mind to the man across the room from him. When the warm drink was presented to him, Jason stuck a digit into it to test the temperature. He deemed it warm but not scalding and took a big first gulp. An unexpected bitterness made the boy's face instantly scrunch together, "It tastes weird, like the milk is bad or something."

The foster father leaned back on the counter, watching Jason intently. "Really? maybe it's just bitter because you brushed your teeth before bed. Try another mouthful," he suggested.

Jason looked into the cup, twirling the spoon in it for a second before taking another sip, this time a smaller one. Jason shook his head, feeling his mind fogging over, "No... it's still bad..." He got down slowly from the stool and placed the cup on the counter, swaying some.

"You alright?" The foster father crouched in front of Jason, taking ahold of the boy's slender hips, the worry in his voice not coming across in his expression whatsoever.

"No, I..." Jason's vision blurred and he looked up to the elder man, "you put something in the drink," he accused, trying to get free of the man's grip.

Surprise lit up the man's features for a moment before a knowing smile took over, "clever boy. Though you won't remember the past twenty minutes, so I'm in the clear." He gripped Jason's hips tighter and watched as the boy's eyes slid closed and his body went limp.

* * *

Jason was shaken awake by one of his younger foster brother's in the early morning, his head pounding painfully. "Let me sleep, snot." He groaned at the boy, burying his face into his corner of the pillow.

"No! Jason wake up! I wanna play! No one else will play with me, I come on! It's really late already, why are you still in bed? Jason, Jason, Jason, Jason, Jasooooooooooon!"

Jason palmed the kid's face, trying to get him to stop making sounds, "Shuddup, alarm."

"Jason, it's time to get up." Shivers ran down his spine when he heard his foster father's voice, an unconscious response. The boy looked up at the dirty blonde, noticing a knowing smile playing on his lips. He couldn't tell why he had shivered, or why he was getting a strange vibe from the man, but he didn't like the churning in his stomach when he laid his eyes on the man It did not help either that. Jason was unable to recall anything that had happened the night before. "You alright, Jason? Something the matter?"

Jason stared at him, trying to figure out what it was about his foster father that had him on edge. He sat up and winced some when a slight pain stung through him when he did so. "I don't want to get up." What's happened to me? Something isn't right... He thought to himself.

"Well you can't waste the day away. It's already noon, you shouldn't stay up so late, you're lucky it's Saturday. Go do your chores then you get to play with your brothers."

Jason slowly moved to the edge of the bed and placed his feet on the ground. He stood slowly and grabbed ahold of the night stand to steady himself when his legs gave in some to weakness. His foster father watched him like a hawk from the door, his arms crossed over his chest. He watched as the boy limped slightly, testing himself. He could tell that Jason was confused, but he knew the boy didn't have a clue about anything. He smirked some and left, going to the kitchen to make some bread with jelly for the lunch.

Jason lowered himself to the floor next to his bed and pulled out his backpack from under the mattress. He always kept a bag of a few things from home, as well as a couple changes of clothes and a small pocket knife. Jason hid the knife in the pocket of his jeans and took the clothes to the bathroom, wanting to change in privacy so he could check himself for hints as to what had happened to him.

The door to the bathroom didn't have a lock, so Jason grabbed the door jam and shoved it into place as firmly as he could before undressing. He looked in the mirror over the counter and grunted when he couldn't see below his ribs with the high surface. Jason climbed up next to the sink and and turned his back to the mirror before dropping his boxers to examine the source of his pain. Jason looked over his shoulder to see if he could spot anything unusual, wondering if it was just a bug bite or an embarrassing pimple. Although he found nothing of the sort, Jason noticed some darkening marks on his thighs about the size of fingers. Jason shook his head in disbelief, trying to dismiss the forming bruises, trying to qualify them as a result of rough housing the day before or earlier in the week. "I don't remember anything that could have caused these bruises.." He tried to reason through the markings, but he could tell that they were new. Less than a day old. Suspicion gripped him and he knew he would have to find the source of the bruises, and he had a bad feeling his foster father had some role in their development.

* * *

Bruce narrowed his eyes at the monitors before him. He didn't like that Jason had been moved out of one of his orphanages and into a foster home. He hadn't ever really liked the foster system, he knew that the funds he provided the orphanages were put to better use for the kids, unlike the money foster parents made off of the children they took in.

The disgruntled detective pulled Jason's file again and read over the details given there. Of course he knew about the boy's parents,he knew that Jason was an only child as well as the fact that he had spent some time taking apart cars and selling the pieces illegally. Bruce knew next to everything he possibly could about Jason, aside from what he was like to be around and how he interacted with others. The billionaire sympathized with the kid - he hadn't been allowed to see his mother once during the entire time away from home, and Bruce knew the boy would be anxious to get back to her despite the emotional abuse he was sure to endure.

Alfred stepped to Bruce's side with a cup of hot coffee, as the Bat had requested. He did not, however, speak to Bruce. In fact, he hadn't spoken to Bruce whenever it possible for him to get away with it, since the drama with Dick several hours ago.

Bruce looked up to Alfred and took the drink. "You're not going to talk to me until I talk to Dick, that it?" He asked, looking up at his butler. Alfred made no response. He simply tucked the silver tray under his arm and turned to leave. "Alfred, wait. You cannot honestly blame me for reacting the way I did to what Dick had said..."

"As a matter of fact I can, Master Bruce. I saw the state that boy was in, how distraught he was. You refuse to right the wrong you have done him and instead go to watching over the other boy you have your sights set on. If Master Richard could see you now... see how you have responded to his bravery in coming out to you... I would fear for his well being even more so than I do already. You may feel you have done nothing wrong, when you are in fact, the singular being in the wrong tonight." Alfred silenced himself again and left despite Bruce calling after him. He had broken his oath to himself that he would not speak to Bruce until the man apologized to Dick, or at least made some attempt to quell the aching heart of the young boy.

* * *

Dick sat in the tub in the bathroom just off of his room, staring at the marred flesh of his right thigh. He touched the blade of the modified batarang his skin just next to the cut and pressed down, watching the skin move back from the gap, drawing out more blood. The little bird dropped the blade to the tub and ran water over his cut before lathering his hands in soap. carefully the bird moved his hands over the cut and winced when the wound stung for a second.

"Friggin just do it..." He chided himself, biting the inside of his cheek, "you've sustained far worse." Dick finished treating his cut and wrapped bandages around his leg, tight enough that they wouldn't bunch too much under his pants. He didn't want anyone to suspect anything, after all. He cleaned out the tub and washed the batarang before putting it away as well and slid back into his pajamas. "What am I going to do..? I have to go back to school tomorrow... Those boys are going to make a big deal out of everything that happened..."

With a heavy sigh Dick made his way to his bed and layed on his left side, keeping off of his right leg to be sure and let the cut be. He didn't want to bleed through the bandages and ruin his expensive navy sheets, that would draw unwanted attention from Alfred.

The young bird stared up through his window at the moon, watching it as he tried to swallow the days events and repress the pain he still felt. What Bruce had said came back up and bit at Dick, tearing down the boys defenses with the harsh words. "I just have to sleep... tomorrow, none of this will have happened. I can pretend that things are fine with Bruce..." He gripped onto his right thigh, squeezing over the bandages and closing his eyes when the pressure he applied shot pain up through his leg.

* * *

Alfred prepared Dick's breakfast with extra care the next morning, adding some powdered sugar to the top of his pancakes and circling them with cut up strawberries, along with a smaller plate of bacon and one scrambled egg. He brought the food out to Dick as he sat waiting silently at the dining table, in his usual seat to Bruce's right. The butler placed the food before the boy and smiled gently to him before leaving to bring back Bruce's breakfast. A simple plate of pancakes with eggs, but without the extra flourish Dick's plate got.

Bruce grunted after he looked at Dick's plante and then his own, however he made no other verbal remark. The three of them sat in an awkward silence, the previous day's events darkening the atmosphere in the room. Bruce didn't know what to say to his son, Alfred didn't want to intrude on Dick, and Dick didn't want to break the silence with some misplaced remark. Instead he ate slowly, not quite feeling hungry. He poked at the strawberries some, anxious about not finishing his plate with fervor like he thought Alfred wanted.

"Master Richard? Are you not hungry?" Asked the tentative butler.

"Sorry Alfred. It all looks so nice, but I'm just not..."

"Oh that's alright, don't force yourself. When you're ready I can start the car to take you to school." Dick simply nodded in response, acknowledging what the butler had said.

After a long silence Bruce cleared his throat and spoke, "You still have Judo in gym today?"

Dick looked up at his father, a little surprised to hear him speak. "Yes."

"Maybe today you allow yourself a bit more skill to show through. If those boys give you a hard time, don't be afraid to show them you're not to be messed with. You're a Wayne after all..."

A smile spread across Dick's face when he registered what Bruce had said. He nodded, "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind."

Alfred smiled just a little, glad to see some progress on Bruce's part. He could tell that the billionaire had been working over what to say to the boy, and although it wasn't groundbreaking, it was sincere and it was Bruce's way of saying to Dick that he still loved him. He was reaching his limit on displaying affection after all, and Alfred knew Dick could see that. However he knew that there was still progress to be made. Bruce hadn't made up for much of what had transpired the previous night, but it was a start.

* * *

**AN2: **Tell me what you guys thought! I always love feedback! Thank you everyone who has followed me this far, I have so much planned for this story, and I hope everyone is just as excited to read on as I am about writing more. ~ til next chapter


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer 1**: I do not own Batman or any of the DC Multiverse. Story contains mature situations and possible triggers. Later Bird/Flash or **MalexMale, if such stories are not your forte, then do not read this story**. I don't know how you would have gotten this far in the first place without knowing where I was headed with everything, but this is my warning to you.

Dick walked the school, self conscious the whole while. He kept his right hand at his side, brushing his thigh every couple of seconds to feel the bandages underneath his dark jeans. He pulled his backpack further up his shoulder, feeling off balance with the extra weight. He didn't know what to expect of the other students since the incident the day before. He didn't know how many of his classmates knew... but he was certain that soon enough it would be throughout the school - if it wasn't already.

The young bird slid into his assigned seat for his first hour class and slouched some. He glanced around the room and quickly noticed half of the room watching him knowingly. 'Shit.' Dick snapped his head back to the front and instantly started tapping his foot, counting the seconds to class' end. The girl in the seat before him turned around and placed an elbow on his desk, holding her head in her palm as she took up staring at him. He leaned away from her, saying nothing for a minute before deciding it was only getting more awkward by the moment.

"What?" He asked in a perturbed tone.

"I'm trying to decide if you look gay or not," she responded. Dick's heart sank into the soles of his shoes, clear dismay claiming his features. The girl smirked in response to Dick's expression. "Thought so. Look how flustered he is, Riley!" The girl looked to the boy behind the bird, making him turn to look out of reflex.

"Should have known something else was up with this kid. He's a young prodigy, skipped a grade you know? I just knew that there was something else about him," Riley smirked and met Dick's eyes, puckering his lips, "want a kiss, mmmmh?" He prodded.

Dick's face contorted in disgust, "No."

The next three of Dick's classes progressively worsened, with more and more people making comments and talking to one another in general about what had happened in Dick's Judo class the day before. When Dick over heard the story being told between classes, the story had drastically changed. Now people were claiming that Dick had made further advances on the jock and went crying to the bathrooms when he was rejected by the popular and obviously heterosexual teen.

At the end of fourth hour, the teacher gave students free time to do as they pleased on the condition that they keep the noise to a dull roar. The young acrobat spent this time ignoring jokes being made at his expense and boys jokingly asking him out. The bell could not ring soon enough.

Dick grit his teeth and stomped through the halls, anxious to get to his Judo class now that the whole school knew about yesterday. He wanted to put to rest some of the false gossip that was flying around about him. He made his way through the boys locker room and stopped at his locker. The other boys there who had just started to change shuffled a little further away from him, their backs to the boy in an attempt to keep their packages from being ogled. Dick ignored them and grabbed his uniform before padding to the bathroom.

Gingerly Dick pulled his pants off, careful of the bandages around his thigh. He touched the white material for a moment before mentally shaking himself and pulling his Judo pants on. It didn't take him long before he was fully dressed and ready for his opportunity to get out his pent up anger and stress on some unwitting male Judo student.

The dojo was half full when Dick made his entrance. It only took Mr. Baker a second to spot the boy and jog up to him. "Hey, mind if I pull you aside for a quick chat?"

"No... what's going on?"

Mr. Baker guided Dick to the other side of the dojo before speaking. "What happened yesterday? I've heard a great deal from students... but I always take what they say with a grain of salt... they are all a conniving bunch of demonlings - in my experience."

Dick let out a slight chuckle and shook his head, "Well thanks for not listening to them. This rumor is great, it's spreading to teachers."

"We hear a great deal more than students think. We just pretend not to because its usually ridiculously stupid BS. Anyway, you left here in a rush yesterday, is everything alright?"

"It's fine, really. I don't know what you've heard, but I did not hit on any of the boys. I did spar with one boy... my body reacted, I couldn't help it, but don't worry. I won't be a problem for you."

Mr. Baker cocked his head to the side, "How could you be a problem?"

"I don't know, I'm not hitting on boys left and right like everyone thinks. I'm... not... gay." The words came out of him as a mangled choke.

"That's not why I pulled you aside... I wanted to be sure you were okay, that you weren't being harassed. And if you are- or aren't gay, that's fine. Either way, is doesn't make you any less of a person," he smiled lightly down at Dick and ruffled the teen's hair, "come on, I should start class."

Judo training went by faster than Dick would have liked. He enjoyed having a class with Mr. Baker, the man was his favorite teacher for what he had said. When the time came to spar, the majority of the boys all quickly moved away from him and paired off frantically. Dick was left with only one kid to spar with, one he assumed hadn't heard about the gossip. He took it easy on the other male, not using the time as an outlet as much as he had intended before. Mr. Baker announced the end of class with enough time for the boys to change before the bell would sound, creating a clot in the flow of bodies trying to leave the dojo.

Next was lunch. Dick expected to be sitting on his own for his meal and pulled out his iPod, sticking the buds into his ears and drowning out the rest of the dining hall. He took only a sandwich as his lunch and sat at a table meant for at least six. He observed the other students as he ate, thankful that the students in the room were distracted enough with one another to not bother him. At least not for today.

By the end of the day Dick felt like his skin was an inch thicker than when he had entered the school from all the ridicule and jokes at his expense he had sustained. He didn't, however, tell any of this to Alfred. He let the butler believe that the day had gone by without a hitch. He sat quietly in the back seat of the car and read the book assigned for English.

Alfred would glance up to the rear view mirror every now and then to see how the boy was doing, feeling an odd sense of deja vu. It was only the day before that Dick had been sitting in the same spot, on the brink of tears over his discovery of his sexuality. Today the boy seemed more put together, but Alfred knew a silent storm was brewing underneath the surface. However the butler kept quiet, knowing better than to prod the boy when he didn't want to talk.

The car ride from the school back to Wayne Manor was quiet, Alfred not speaking up, and Dick too lost in his own thoughts to make conversation or even notice the silence. He couldn't help but relive the day he had had in his mind. Sure things could have gone worse, but at the same time Dick knew that they should have been better. If no one knew... then he would be the new kid that would eventually fall into one social group or another. Now he was an odd one out. Everyone had accepted the gossip swirling about the school without a second thought, without really asking the teen if he was gay or not, or if he had done the things he was claimed to have done. High schoolers were immature, he decided.

* * *

Bruce made it back home from Wayne Enterprises an hour after Dick had gotten home. The prodigy had already finished all of his homework in that time and had started training again in the workout room, sweating away all the stress he could. The Bat decided he would join his son before heading off to the Batcave to scan the city for signs of criminal activity. It was still light out, after all and the largest crime waves came about after dusk.

"How was school today?" Asked Bruce, watching his son running entirely too fast on a treadmill.

"Fine," replied the boy in a quick breath, "how was work?"

"Boring," answered Bruce truthfully, "want to spar some before making your Gotham crime fighting debut as Nightwing?"

Dick slowed some, looking over to his father. "Sure."

* * *

Jason grumbled as he was made to play catch with one of his foster brothers. The poor boy couldn't throw farther than twenty feet, which forced the teen to jog up and grab the ball then jog back to throw. He was getting far more of a workout than he had intended to. Jason was stuck playing catch with the kid for over an hour while their foster father prepared dinner for the six of them. By the time the boys were all being called in, the sun had already set and the backyard was darkening. The teen slowly made his way inside again when he was called, hesitant to be in the same room as the man. But he was starving, after all, so he gave in and joined everyone around the cramped dining table.

They all sat around the table and waited for their host father to serve them their sandwiches. Jason stared down at his food, his stomach grumbling. He glanced up at his foster father to see the man eyeing him. A flash of a memory came back to him, seeing his foster father smiling wickedly at him. A wave of panic pushed up his throat and Jason quickly got out of his seat and hurried down the hall to the bathroom, fearing he was going to empty his stomach.

The teen hunched over the toilet and gripped the ceramic rim, ready to expel the contents of his stomach, but nothing came out. A second too late he remembered that there was no lock to the bathroom door. His foster father was standing next to him suddenly, a heavy hand coming down on his back in false reassurance.

"You feeling alright, Jason?" He asked, practiced worry in his voice.

Jason tried to move out from under the man's hand, "Don't touch me," he said defensively.

Surprise lit the man's features and he took a moment to compose himself, "Now look here, I'm just trying to be helpful, if you're sick then you need looking after." The man felt his pockets for a moment and paused when he got to his left back pocket. "How about I give you something to help you sleep? You look like you could use a rest."

Jason lunged for the door and managed to make it into the hall. Just before he made it three steps farther the man's hand was wrapped around his wrist and yanked him back. In a flash, pain stabbed through his neck as a needle was inserted, depositing what, Jason didn't know. A second later the ground was rushing up to meet his face.

* * *

Jason let out a pained groan when he woke up, his body aching and his mouth feeling desert dry.

"Thirsty?" Asked a familiar voice. Jason blinked his eyes open, thankful that the light in the room was dimmed. He spotted his foster father hovering over him, a bottled water in one hand. Jason's eyes narrowed and he tried to get up and realized that his hands were bound together behind his back. He struggled for a moment to sit upright.

"What the hell-"

"Watch your language, Jason. Now, thirsty?" He unscrewed the top to the bottle, showing the boy that the water was untouched before holding it to the youngers lips. Jason hesitated for a moment but the desire to quell the dryness was too great for him to ignore. He gulped down the water, glaring up at his foster father the whole time. "Good boy."

"Screw you," Jason spat, already thinking of the worst case scenario of trying to escape. He knew he was in deep shit, and that he had to get out of there fast. He had picked up a few tricks on how to fight larger men from when he worked on the street, stealing car parts, and he had learned how to wiggle out of several kinds of bindings. Jason struggled, trying to free his wrists some.

The man pulled the bottle away and set it on the dresser next to the bed before crouching in front of Jason. He gripped the boy's thighs, moving his hands up slowly. "Do you remember anything from last night?"

Jason then understood what it was that was motivating the man. "Get your hands off me!" He howled.

His foster father sighed and pushed Jason back down onto the bed, keeping a hand on his chest to keep him horizontal. "I wanted to have you awake this time, don't make me regret the decision."

"This time? What happened last night? What have you done to me-" fear squeezed Jason again, cutting off his voice.

"You didn't notice anything about your body this morning? I saw you struggle to stand. Put two and two together." Jason shook his head in disbelief, unable to accept the possibility that his body had been misused. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, trying to pull himself out from under his foster father. "Ah ah, come on now." The man used his free hand to unbutton Jason's pants, tugging awkwardly at the jeans.

Instantly Jason began tugging desperately at his restraints, not caring about the pain that ensued in his wrists. "Stop..." he whimpered, his heart rate quickening.

"You're scared, it's understandable. I'm not going to hurt you. Well, not too much. Not if you behave," a wicked smile spread over his face and Jason's eyes widened at the flash he had earlier. He cried out as his right hand slipped out of the rough fabric that had been tied around his wrists. Jason threw his hand up, jabbing his fingers into the man's left eye. His foster father howled, moving back as his hands jerking up to his face, cupping his eye. "Damnit!"

Jason collapsed to the floor off the side of the bed and tugged his pants up as he stood, bolting for the door. He had a head start, but his foster father was after him a few moments later. The teen bolted to the back door of the house, ripping at the lock and staggering out into the yard. He jumped the low fence and turned down the narrow alley. His lungs burned as he took in the cold night air rapidly, his bare feet landing with light thuds on the uneven concrete. He dared not to look to see if his foster father was following him, he knew he would be. However, knowing how close he was would discourage him, so he didn't look. Jason's eyes darted around the ally as he ran, trying to find anything or anyone that could help save him from the man.

A patch of darkness took up the alley a ways ahead of him and a moment later a man was occupying the space, having jumped down from above. Jason slammed into the man, unable to stop with the momentum he had worked up. The air was knocked out of his lungs and his vision went white for a split second before he was being held at arms length. The boy threw his arms up out of defense.

The man caught his wrists and looked down at the teen, "Jason?" He asked.

Jason looked up, confused. His eyes widened when he took in the pointy eared cowl and masked face. "Batman?" He scoffed. Another figure came from behind the Bat, running past them at Jason's foster father who had just caught up.

"What's happened here?" The Bat asked, releasing Jason's wrists, noticing the fabric still looped around his left and rub burn on his right.

Jason swallowed hard, his mouth dry again. "Nothing." He mumbled, running past Batman, wanting to just get home to his mother.

"Aren't you going after him?" Asked Nightwing, holding the foster father immobile on the ground, cuffing his wrists.

"After we've dealt with this monster first."

* * *

Jason fastened his pants while he ran home. He knew that the Batman was taking care of his foster father, but he still felt he had to run. Just because he was a boy didn't mean the streets of Gotham were any safer for him in the middle of the night that any other young adolescent. He made it to the dingy apartment complex twenty minutes later, his chest heaving. Jason leaned against the wall next to the door to his apartment, catching his breath before going and picking the lock. His keys were in his bag under the bed back at his foster home. He wasn't about to go back, so he had to settle for picking the lock open.

It only took the practiced teen a minute to get into the apartment. He looked around at the space. Aside from more crap cluttering the floors it looked relatively the same. "Mom?" He called, eager to see her. Jason moved through the living room to the bathroom, no signs of her. He flipped the light on to the singular bedroom and froze.

Jason's mother was laying on her stained mattress, wearing nothing but a bathrobe and underwear. Her face was hollow, her cheek bones jutting out in her malnourished state. Her arms sickly thin, her hip bones protruding under the pale skin of her abdominals. Her eyes were sunken into her head, open and staring at the ceiling, clouded over.

"No..." Jason fell to his feet in the doorway, staring at the horrific sight. He knew it was an overdose, he had seen her in a similar state before. Only this time he couldn't save her. This time it was too late.

* * *

**Authors Note:** Thank you everyone for reading! Thank you, faithful followers, for waiting for this chapter to come out! I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter, despite the dark tones. Please leave me a review!


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Thank you returning readers for waiting so long for this chapter - finals and and all that jazz was hectic and I knew that I had to fit in this chapter before I took a vacation (where I would be unable to use a computer) or else Ch 12 wouldn't come out for another month. At least I will be able to write more now this summer! I was writing until 3:30am... so tired... nearly fell asleep at the keyboard multiple times. I'm sorry too for how short this chapter is - it's not the shortest I don't believe, but in comparison to the last chapter it's not that impressive. I hope you all enjoy regardless! Just know that there is plot progression in the near future!**

* * *

Nightwing pulled the man up onto his knees, his hands cuffed behind his back. He looked to the Batman and tilted his head, thinking on what had just happened. He knew that the man in front of him had only ill will for the younger boy that had been running from him. Nightwing could see the signs of abuse easily even amongst the chaos and confusion. He did notice, however, Batman calling the boy by name. Bruce knew him, and Dick wanted to know how.

Gotham's Dark Knight took one step toward Jason's foster father, crouched and slammed a fist into the man's stomach. He then grabbed his jaw and forced his head back, "What should I do with you, report you now, or punish you myself?" He mused aloud.

* * *

Jason slowly approached his mother's corpse and reached out to touch her limp arm that lay outstretched in the direction of the door. "Mom," he whimpered quietly, allowing himself time to grieve, "please don't... don't be dead." He placed his hand in hers and sat in silence for how long he did not know. He woke up beside her a few hours later, his cheeks tear streaked. He rubbed his eyes, trying to alleviate the blurriness in his vision before he took one last look at his mother and left the room.

The young teen called for an ambulance from a payphone on the corner, leaving an anonymous tip about a woman's death in the apartment complex. He had collected what was left of his things - what she had not sold to fuel her habbit - and set out, trying to find a shelter. He wasn't about to allow himself to get caught by the cops and sent back into the system. No, he would rather be on his own then go back. At least winter was over, he could find a place outdoors and not freeze to death. He would have to go back to ripping off car parts to pay for food again. That skill was the only thing he was thankful he had received from his father before he got himself arrested.

* * *

It had only taken Nightwing and Batman ten minutes to get the foster father to own up to abusing four different boys that had been in his care over a span of two years, including Jason. The whole time they were interrogating the man, Nightwing had been watching the Dark Knight - noticing how angry he was over the whole situation. He couldn't tell if the Bat was personally invested in Jason, or if he related what happened to the boy to what had happened to 'Robin' months ago.

They had managed to record the man's confession and brought the evidence to the police along with the incapacitated perp. The boys that had been in the man's care were brought in for a quick questioning session and then moved to an orphanage. The man's wife was called in from out of town for questioning as well. Before the night was half over the news channels were broadcasting the images of Nightwing and Batman taking in the man and leaving the GCPD.

Nightwing had officially made his debut as a crime fighter in Gotham City that night. Every local news station featured him for at least a few minutes, despite the lack of information on the new vigilante. Alfred announced this fact over their connection to the Batcave, however the joy was short lived for Dick. He still felt that there was something off about what had happened before. Something that Bruce was keeping from him. Whenever he asked his father about knowing Jason, the brute shrugged off the question. Something was certainly off.

Once the two were home, Dick made his way to his room, claiming that he was feeling a little sick and that he needed a rest. He used his computer to hack into the batcave main frame and looked over what Bruce had collected on Jason Todd. The teen stared in disbelief at the monitor. He saw himself in the kid - a young orphan, great potential, smart, fighting heart. However, he saw too what his father must; a fresh start with a new and better Robin. A new son. Pain crushed the air from Dick's lungs and he gripped onto his thigh to reassure himself that he was not imagining any of the information and evidence before him. The jolt of pain from his cut pulled him back to himself and he quit out of the files.

A split decision had Dick packing his things, preparing an extended period of time's worth of clothes before he resurfaced from his room. He was still wearing his Nightwing gear and he secured his mask once again as he stomped his way through the halls. Bruce saw the distraught teen before Alfred and tried to get him to stop long enough to know what had upset him.

"Hey, where do you think you're going? I want you staying home like I said yesterday."

"Well I'm leaving whether you want me to stay or not. Why don't you find that Jason kid, huh? Maybe you'll have better luck with him." The words stung more than he thought they would, but he hardly had time to regret them as he left, still too angry.

Alfred had caught the tail end of what Dick had said and knew instantly what had happened. He watched as Dick left their line of sight, headed for the bat cave. "I predicted this, did I not?"

"The eloquent way of saying 'I told you so' is still not appreciated."

* * *

Nightwing parked his bike in the garage under Mount Justice, his bag slung over his shoulder. He walked upstairs and was instantly greeted by M'gann.

"Hey Nightwing! What are you doing here so late? Are you alright? That's an awfully large bag." She spoke entirely too fast.

"I'm staying here," he answered.

"Trouble with Batman?" She landed on the ground, sympathy lacing her voice and expression.

"You could say that. I'll take whatever room is open,"

"Nonsense! You should have your own room anyway. Follow me, I think I know a room suited for you.."

"WAIT-" Nightwing grimaced when he heard the speedster's voice calling to them from the next room over. He had thought Wally would be home by now, but evidently not. "I want to come with." He stood at Nightwing's side in a blink.

M'gann smiled a little to cover her nervousness and led the two to the room she had picked out for Nightwing. "It's a good sized room. Sorry it doesn't have a bunch of high tech stuff I'm sure you are used to."

"That's fine, thank you." Nightwing set his bags down and sat on the full sized bed. He looked around at the neutral, windowless walls and empty space. There was only an empty closet, a small writing desk and the bed he was currently sitting on with navy blue sheets. M'gann smiled to Nightwing before giving Wally a warning look and left the two alone in the space. The space was quiet for a minute before Wally gave up and broke the silence,

"Can we be friends?"

That threw Dick off. "You... want to be friends? No ulterior motive?" He asked half jokingly, half serious.

"No, I mean I still think you're Robin, and if you aren't then I want to be friends. And if you are, then I guess I don't want to push you into telling me you are. Or were. Whatever. I feel like I'm rambling."

Nightwing smiled and nodded, "Alright, yes. Friends, that would be nice I suppose." He looked down at his hands and took in a heavy sigh, unsure of himself or what he was doing. He wanted to tell Wally, he wanted a friend to support him and be there for him like his father wasn't. But Wally hadn't been there for him until after the incident with the Joker.

"Hey, are you alright? You seem... really down. I mean, from what I can see of your face, it looks sad."

Nightwing nodded toward the door, "Close the door, I have to talk to you about something." He had decided, and he wasn't sure if it was a well thought out decision or if he was acting out in a time of need, but he didn't care. Not right then at least. Wally quickly complied, closing the door and moving to sit next to Nightwing.

"The reason I am here right now is because Batman had done something... he was looking for my replacement. A new Robin." The bird pulled his top away from his left side, showing Wally the scar Harley had given him that had been fully visible during the broadcast so many months ago. Proof that he was Robin and proof of his abduction and torture. "Yes, I am the friend you once called Robin. I'm not anymore, I made sure that part of me... was locked away. I couldn't face anyone, not as him at least. I wanted a clean slate, but you saw right through me didn't you." A sad smile spread over his features.

Wally stared at him a little wide eyed. Nightwing could tell that the older teen was trying to process and think up an appropriate response to what he had been told. "Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't think about what you wanted. I won't tell anyone, if that makes a difference?"

"That'd be nice. I will tell everyone with time, I just need to stay Nightwing for now. Anonymus and new."

"Well I'm here for you, you know that right?" The redhead smiled and placed a hand on Nightwing's shoulder.

"I know. At least now I do." He was surprised that it hadn't been more difficult, telling his friend that he was Robin. He hadn't wanted to confront that part of himself again ever if he could help it. Somehow, he knew that wouldn't happen though.

"Was Batman really looking at replacing you? That doesn't really... sound like him."

"Believe me, I've lived with him for years, I know what he was doing. He has the kid picked out already. And I have to tell you, he's a lot like me. I get the feeling that he's trying to start over with this new kid, overwrite whatever mistakes he's made with me..."

"What do you mean?"

"I displease him."

"How?"

"Wally, I can't get into-"

"Are you bleeding?" Wally interrupted his friend who was staring at the blood inner thigh of his leggings.

"Shit." Nightwing quickly got up and placed a hand over the spot. He knew he had reopened the wound riding his bike to the base.

"Did that man attack you? The one you brought in earlier?"

"Ah, yeah. I'm going to take care of this, talk to you later?" He didn't wait for Wally's reply. He was ushering out the redhead and closing the door on him before Wally had his bearings fully. Dick locked the door and pulled his mask off with a heavy sigh. He had told Wally who he truly was - which had gone well, taking a great deal of pressure and anxiety off of his shoulders. Dick decided to keep that in mind as he treated his wound and slipped into bed.


End file.
